The Hush of Mist Above Crimson
by Efimia
Summary: A strange request is asked of Konaha and the old 'squad 7' are perfect for the job. Teaming up again, they travel to Mist to bring back a suspect but, soon find out it's more complicated than they expected. The three are not a welcomed interference...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

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_(--Yukio-Man who gets what he wants--)_

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**Summary:** (Some Sas/Sak)Sasuke had been forced to return to Konaha three years after he left due to the brutal circumstances. Even though Tsunade had questioned his motives his friends still stuck behind him- believing he had changed. 

Four years after that Naruto,Sasuke and Sakura have gone mostly their separate ways- Sakura,staying as a Chunnin medical nin and Naruto and Sasuke-now Jonins- doing most missions on their own.

A strange request gets asked of Konaha and the old 'squad 7' are perfect for the job. Teaming up again, they travel to Mist just to bring back a suspect but, soon find out its more serious than they expected. Actually,the Leaf has only scratched the surface of the crimson bloodshed that lies covered under a thick veil of fog- and the three are not a welcomed interference.

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**The Hush of Mist above Crimson**

_Prologue_

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Azamaki, the feared but loved fifth Mizukage slept quietly on a moonlit night in the tranquil land of Mist.

The moon's glow seeped in through his large window,painting shadows on the wall behind him. It was silent-and dark, until something in the blackness moved. A figure glided swiftly towards the young lord.

The pitter of rain rhythmically hitting the window was the only audible sound in the room next to Azamaki's even breathing.

The floor creaked slightly and immediately the Mizukage was awake and becoming aware of the unwanted presence in the room. The hiss of chakra was the next thing to be heard but, before he could even fully stand up on his side of the bed, a hand shot out from the shadows to press violently against his chest. Azamaki cried out in agony as chakra flowed painfully through every muscle in his body.

All it took was one hit to stop his heart.

The attackers hand withdrew too let his victim fall limply to the hardwood floor. The Mizukage's eyes closed on a familiar face, features only lit by the weak moonlight.

It was finished.

"And you call yourself head ninja." Spat the dismal figure bitterly as steam emanated off Azamaki's lifeless corps.

.x.x.x.x.

Seconds later, shinobi came bursting into the room at the sound of their master's cry. They stumbled over the bodies of the two guards who were once posted at the door. Raising the lantern into the air they found Azamaki still in his bed, sheets tucked up to the dawn of his neck.

"Mizukage-sama!" A man cried desperately, running over to kneel at the side of the bed so he could check on him. The young master could have passed for sleeping if the small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth, cascading down his chin didn't give him away.

He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening slightly when the deep red line against pale skin came into view. He reached out hesitantly to check his pulse- Nothing, just as he had suspected.

He narrowed his eyes, quickly taking his hand away, then yelled back to the other men waiting expectantly by the door; the slight quiver in his deep voice was unmistakable.

"Awake master Yukio at once!"

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	2. Request

**Disclaimer **: I do not own Naruto.

_( Konban wa-Good evening, Demo-but, Arigatou-Thank-you)_

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**The Hush of Mist above Crimson**

_Chapter One_

-REQUEST-

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It was another gorgeous day in the village of Konoha and everything seemed to be running normally. They've received numerous requests from other villages that day; like help with construction in Sunagakure and escorting some government officials to the land of grass. 

One request however, seemed more urgent than the others...

A tall woman in a midnight cashmere cloak walked briskly up to one of the wooden booths.

"Hello there, how may Konoha assist you today?"

A young lady with hazel eyes and long brown hair that went to the center of her back asked warmly across the counter. The woman in cashmere had her cloak draped over half her face, making it so all she revealed were her troubled black eyes.

The woman waited patiently for the other's response, assuming from her cloak she was from sand. The masked lady put a small note on the counter and pushed it forwards to the other woman.

Brown eyes questioned her, but she just met the working woman's with expectancy. The girl reached out and slowly slid the note the rest of the was towards her.

Opening it cautiously she cast another strange glance at the woman, now more curious about the request. She read the note silently and the cloaked woman watched her eyes widen in disbelief.

She looked up apologetically to the one in black.

"I'm sorry mam' but Konoha doesn't have the right to-"

"Please," the woman sounded desperate, "we are in great need of your assistance." She motioned behind her to four other cloaked villager's who stood against the back wall.

"Demo-" The brown haired lady looked around before continuing in a quieter tone. "Demo, if your own people can't interrogate the Mizukage, what makes you think Konoha has that right? Or any village for that matter?"

The other woman stepped closer to the counter, resting a pale hand against it.

"At least have someone investigate the death of our previous Mizukage." Her eyes were pleading. "Mist will perish if someone does not intervene."

The lady across the counter sighed and shook her head a bit confused. Brown locks bouncing as she did.

"Alright, I'll take this up with Konoha's Hokage. It's her decision, not my own."

You could faintly notice the tired onyx eyes of the other woman soften.

"Thank-you." She whispered sincerely.

The lady smiled business-like before continuing. "Now, let's discuss payment."

* * *

"It is none of Konoha's concern what happens in the land if Mist, a leader does what he sees fit!" Tsunade laced her fingers together, resting her elbows comfortably on the desk before continuing. "How do you know he doesn't have some kind of strategy?" She threw out the idea in need of a good reason. 

"Hokage-sama,we need to do _something_. These people are sacrificing their life savings just to have us investigate a little." The browned haired woman stressed her point.

Tsunade paused a bit to think it over... Impossible.

"Masayo..." She pleaded with her. The girls expression didn't waver and her eyes stayed austere.

The Hokage's face hardened. "Do they really feel _that _strongly that their Mizukage eliminated the fifth?"

Leaning back in her chair while keeping her hands on the desk, she watched Masayo nod.

After another moment of deep thought, Godaime spoke.

"Fine then. Sending some Jounin to investigate there for a while wouldn't hurt. You said they have a suspect, right. That's _not _the Mizukage?"

Masayo smiled. "Yes. Thank-you Hokage-sama. I will notify them of your agreement at once."

Tsunade quickly dipped her head as a jest of dismissal.

Masayo turned to leave but was stopped by Tsunade calling her name.

"I would like you to notify Kakashi that I need to speak with him as soon as possible." She allowed herself a small smile. "And tell Shizune to hurry back with my coffee."

"Sure thing." Masayo bowed before exiting by the large wooden double doors. The sound of them closing echoed off the walls making the room seem even more empty.

Tsunade closed her eyes and bowed her head, tired. Strands of blond hair fell loosely in front of her face. She sighed deeply before sitting up again. Grabbing a pen, she slid the A-rank assignment slip board towards her and wrote down these words:

_Jounin investigation on the death of _

_Azamaki Komotaro-_

_The fifth Mizukage of Kiri no Kuni._

* * *

Kakashi walked casually towards Tsunade's office. If he was curious at all why he was being called in to speak with her at this hour, it didn't show. He stepped up to the large wooden doors- the entrance to Tsunade's room- and poised his hand above the door to knock. 

He stopped.

"Just come in Kakashi."

Tsunade's voice was dulled by the thickness of the wood. The sound of traditional ninja sandals against hardwood floor parroted off the walls of the spacious room. Kakashi stopped in front of her desk and bowed before routinely placing his hands in his pockets.

Tsunade smiled, moving her chair closer to her desk.

"Thank-you for coming Kakashi. Now, since this mission appears to be so urgent, I have great confidence that your team will be able to get the job done."

_'Team?'_

"I'll get straight to the point. We've had a serious request about the investigation of lord Azamaki's death just recently in the land of Mist and fog, and have received information on a possible suspect." She held out of piece of paper and he wasted no time in taking the sheet to look it over.

"I need you to find this man, and bring him back to Konoha for questioning-alive. Make sure you stress the importance of that to your group."

He nodded and put the paper down. _'Wait, thats twice now. Group? She couldn't mean...'_

Tsunade grew surprised at his silence. "Questions?" She asked, breaking off from her unusual serious tone.

"Actually," Kakashi looked from the paper on her desk to meet her eyes. "Isn't Azamaki the fifth?"

The Hokage took a small breath. "Yes." She stopped for a moment. "He was killed last night."

Kakashi looked back to the paper, still remaining as composed as before. "I'm sorry to hear that." His voice was sympathetic. "You knew him well?" He added casually.

"Not really." Tsunade admitted. "But from what I witnessed he seemed like a very kind young man. He just became Mizukage recently though, after the death of his father so it's kind of difficult to tell what he's like."

Kakashi smiled under his mask, glancing up again. "One more question."

Tsunade nodded for him to continue.

"Is it really necessary for all four of us to go on this mission? Naruto and Sasuke are both Jounins now and do almost all their missions alone. Sakura's only a chunnin and you classified this assignment as an A rank." He sighed, motioning to the paper. "I'm just afraid all of us together might be a waste. I also believe we need shinobi for other assignments as well."

Kakashi stood tall now, around four years after Sasuke's return but a whole seven years since all three were Genins, he was nearing his 34th birthday. He had done nothing but get stronger over the years and his services to Konoha were essential.

The corner's of Tsunade's lips turned up slightly at the mention of Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke- all so successful now. Kakashi must be so proud to have been the master of two of Konoha's most elite ninja and one of Leaf's most successful medics- personally trained by her of course.

"You're right." She finally agreed. "I would prefer if you were the one to stay in Konoha though. Don't worry about Sakura, it's only a little investigation and if things get bad she's always got the other two. Plus...we shouldn't underestimate her."

"That's fine with me, I'm sure those three can handle it."

Tsunade sighed in relief. "Good then, I'll leave it to you to explain the mission to the other members of your party."

Kakashi slid the note towards him so he could look over it once more before picking it up. He glanced back expectantly to Tsunade, awaiting dismissal. He attempted to read her grave expression.

The reason she was taking so long was because she was inwardly debating whether or not she should mention that the new Hokage of Mist- Yukio Komotaro- the elder brother of Azamaki, was also a major suspect.

After a couple of seconds she could sense Kakashi becoming worried so she brushed it off as futile information. It's not like she was expecting them to sneak around in Yukio's business. He couldn't have killed his brother anyway, Azamaki was a skilled ninja. But Hokage's have betrayed country's before...

"Thank-you for your time Kakashi. You are dismissed." She said before her thoughts could complicate her further.

He waited a moment before bowing. "I will have them leave for Mist tomorrow." Kakashi informed her before turning to walk away.

"Arigatou Hokage-sama." He said on his way out.

"Hmm." Tsunade nodded in response. Kakashi put a hand in his pocket again and continued walking calmly out the door, then down the hallway and out into the warm evening sun. He was heading in the direction of Chihiro's forest. Kakashi was sure he would come across at least two of the three he was searching for there.

* * *

Sasuke quickly summoned chakra to his feet, jumping back to narrowly miss the glistening kunai knife that shot down dangerously from above. The weapon dug into the soil in front of him, sending stray pieces of dirt flying into the crisp fall air. 

Seconds later another dagger came stabbing at his right side. Sasuke's stern face showed his concentration. He Swiftly dodged the attack by backing up into a tree, then, the Uchiha grinned then ducked, just before a rapidly spinning shiruken star dug itself into the rough bark where his head had been moments ago.

Naruto, bored, hopped down from one of the tree's in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke stood, eyeing Naruto curiously. "Giving up already?"

"I guess so." Naruto dumbly scratched the back of his head. "We've been training for almost three hours now and I'm starting to get kind of hungry."

"Fine." Sasuke looked around the forest. "But before we leave, where is-"

Two rocks came flying out of a tall tree, leaves taking on a bright orange at the tips. Both stones were aimed at Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto smiled knowing the source as he ducked along with Sasuke. Both the rocks soared past the boys to tumble at two sandal covered feet. Sasuke and Naruto rose quickly to face the newcomer.

"Sakura! You can come out now, we're finished!" Naruto yelled back to the tree where the stones came from. A young lady with mid-back unusual pink hair jumped down from a tree behind them. She bent he knees when she landed, placing one hand on the ground to steady herself before standing up.

"Konban wa, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura greeted Kakashi with one of her genuine smiles.

Sasuke nodded. "Konban wa."

"Hey master Kakashi. "Naruto added his hello.

.x.x.x.x

Naruto twirled a kunai on his finger while Sakura leaned up against the same tree Sasuke sat at the base of. She tossed it in the air to catch it again with one hand while she waited for Kakashi to explain the reason for the visit. He wasn't expecting Sakura to be here with them as well.

Kakashi paused for a moment to make sure they were all listening. "Tsunade-sama has a job for you. " He started.

"Tell us something we don't know. _Everyone _gets missions." Naruto sounded annoyed. Even after all those years his childish personality still seemed to be stuck with him.

"Be quiet Naruto, let him finish." Sakura scolded him lightly. She knew deep down inside his behavior was never just some adolescent phase.

Sasuke stood in silence.

"This is serious, Tsunade wants all three of you to go."

This got their attention.

"Why all three of us?" Sasuke couldn't help but disagree. "I can't think of any task that should require more than two Jounin. Unless its an S-rank..." He trailed off.

"And she asked me to go as well? Are you sure?" Sakura piped up.

"Hai, if things get rough they need a medic there." He responded.

Sakura furrowed her brow. "Is it an assassination?"

"No." Said Kakashi curtly. "It's more of an investigation. The fifth Mizukage in the land hidden in Mist and fog was killed last night. Some villagers asked Konoha to disclose the cause of death."

They thought this over. Just the very idea of someone powerful enough to kill one of the five Kage disturbed Sakura but...she was a chunnin now so she assured herself she could handle it if the other two were there.

Sasuke seemed more interested about the mission now that the possibility of ever confronting this guy came up.

"I still don't see why they need three of us." Naruto said quietly.

Kakashi turned his attention solely on Naruto. "Those villager's also left a warning note to us, saying to bring no less than two Jounin."

Kakashi's words startled Sakura. "It can't possibly be _that _bad." She said out loud, needing to bring some type of comfort to herself.

"Well," Their sensei straightened. "the investigation isn't the only part. Tsunade needs you to bring back somebody for questioning. A possible suspect might be harder to deal with than you'd think." Sasuke flinched at the slight tease in Kakashi's voice when he finished.

He pulled out a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to Sasuke who opened it carefully.

"Ichimaru Aro." Sasuke read the name off the paper.

Sakura and Naruto stepped closer to him to read it as well. Everything Kakashi had mentioned so far was there.

The air was becoming colder and colder as the sun fell further into the west. Abandoned leaves, serenely blew past them, unwillingly persuading the wind.

"Look closely at the picture. You leave tomorrow."

They looked up in unison.

"Demo...we still need to plan." Came Sakura's worried voice.

"Don't worry about that. You can stay tomorrow night in the village of pearl, one of the surrounding islands of Mist. You guys should leave at dawn if you ever hope to make it back by your four day limit."

"Limit?" Sasuke repeated.

"Yes limit. You and Naruto almost just became Jounins so it's for safety issues. If your not back in time, me and some others will come after you, understand?"

_'Not that recent...'_

"Hai..." They all said in clear reluctance.

"Good, well then you can keep that paper on Ichimaru and I hope to see you three four days from now." Kakashi smiled happily at them, relishing in one of his 'I'm so proud of them' moments. He about-faced starting to walk away, waving behind him.

Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto glanced up from the paper when he stopped walking and turned only his head around a bit to look at them. "And keep in mind that she wants this man back _alive_." Kakashi put an emphasis on the last word.

Sasuke nodded, noticing the comment was more directed at him than the other two. He didn't take offense to it either, realizing that as a Jounin, assassinations _were_ his strong point. Not that he ever succeeded in killing his brother.

Not yet.

"Not a problem." Naruto grinned at Kakashi.

"Sure thing." Said Sakura, waving good-bye. Kakashi nodded back to them one last time before vanishing into the forest.

"Phew..." Sakura slumped down the tree that she was leaning against, it finally hitting her how exhausted she was by the days events. Naruto yawned.

The orange glow light of the sunset poured over the wood, drenching it's leaves with the evening glow. The wind picked up, blowing past Sasuke. It flapped the sheet in his hand.

"Alright, " He started, folding the paper up and turning to look at Sakura and Naruto. He tried not to notice how the cold wind flushed Sakura's cheeks and tainted the tip of her nose the same soft pink as her wind tousled hair.

"We need our rest. Let's all go home and meet back here tomorrow at dawn."

"Dawn?" Naruto exclaimed. "No one wakes up that early!"

Before Sasuke could open his out to insult him about how much of a bone-head he was being, Sakura cut in.

"He's right Naruto. It will take a lot of time to get to Konoha's border, and then we still need to cross the water so we can find a place to rest in that town."

Naruto sighed. "Fine whatever...Hey!" His voice brightened with an idea. "Do you guys want to go out and get some ramen for dinner? I'm starved!" He rubbed his stomach.

"Sounds good to me." Sakura said, standing up and brushing herself off.

"It's not like I have anything better to do." Sasuke said quietly.

"Good!" No doubt, Naruto heard him. "Then let's go."

He summoned chakra to the bottom of his feet and leapt across the forest towards the main road.

"Slow down Naruto!" Sakura yelled ahead, jumping up to join him. Sasuke did the same, skimming through the trees toward their long awaited dinner.

The task they'd face tomorrow seemed easy enough to any Jounin. Especially the subordinates of _the_ three Sonnin, but only the lady in cashmere seems to have any real idea of how deep the hatred truly runs in the land of Mist and how thick the fog is covering it.

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**End Chapter One**

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	3. Mist

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

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**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter two_

-MIST-

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Dawn arrived too soon for Naruto and, he felt as if he had only been sleeping for a matter of minutes.

Grudgingly, he rolled from the welcoming warmth of his bed. After shutting off the aggravating ring of his alarm clock, he went towards the bathroom to have a shower before meeting Sakura and Sasuke at their training spot in the forest.

.x.x.x.x.

Meanwhile, Sakura was already on her way to the place where they would meet. She guessed she had another ten minutes max until the sun rose so she slowed her pace down to enjoy the darkness of the sleeping fire country.

Leaves and broken branches crunched loudly under her feet as she walked through the forest. The noise disturbed the once calm silence.

The sky became a light blue in reaction to the rising sun, but the air remained cold, and the grown stayed pleasurably dewy.

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke crossed his arms impatiently. He knew he still had time left but he had no doubt Naruto would show up late. Seeing that he always has to get up 10 minutes before the dead-line.

His silent complaining was interrupted by the sound of rushed footsteps coming his way. Once Sakura saw Sasuke she ran the rest of the distance to meet up with him. The kinoichi put down her bag and gingerly sat on the forest floor beside him, at the trunk of one of the towering trees.

"I was almost late, but once I saw the sky start to turn orange, I hurried up." She smiled at Sasuke, always happy to be next to him again.

He glanced over at her. "It's not a problem." Came his indifferent voice.

"Mmhmm" She looked back to the sky. The sun was just coming up and lucky for Sakura she was for once awake to enjoy it. She had always enjoyed watching the sunrise...

The deep blue sky was beginning to lighten with the glowing semi-circle of a breathtaking red and orange glow, rising in the air- declaring the dawn of a new day with its unmistakable beauty.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Sakura whispered, keeping her dazed eyes glued to the sunrise, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Sasuke had to look closely at it to see what she thought was so 'beautiful'. He had given up on stuff like that years ago. Were they even looking at the same thing?

"I guess..." Sasuke said uncertainly, but, not wanting to hurt her feelings or seem unable to notice beauty, he added. "Yes."

Just then, Naruto came sprinting out of the tree's towards them . Sasuke promptly stood, followed by Sakura.

"Sorry I'm late!" He panted, putting down his bag.

_'How careless. He's nearly twenty and still can't be on time for even a mission as important as this.' _

Sakura spoke up, breaking through Sasuke's aura of annoyance. "Actually, you're right on time! We should get going now." Grabbing her backpack she walked inbetween them. "So, you two ready?"

Sasuke nodded in response and Naruto sighed and put his bag on again. "And we were just getting comfortable..."

"Good!" Sakura cut in, ignoring Naruto like everyone else seemed to do. "Then lets go." She sounded earnest and the boys scarcely heard such a determined tone from Sakura, but they followed her, wordlessly, away from the small clearing and towards the border of Konohagakure.

.x.x.x.x.

Several hours later, they reached the country's edge. There was someone waiting for them by the shoreline with a small row-boat. Konohagakure's leaf symbol was roughly carved into the wood on each side. Then man's headband appeared bent out of shape and he looked to be around Kakashi's age.

"Are you the Jounin Tsunade-same is planning on sending to Mist?" He questioned formally as they approached.

"Hai, I presume you are the one who will be escorting us there." Sasuke stepped in front of the two ninja.

"Hmmmm." The man eyed Sasuke curiously. "And all _three_ of you are supposed to be elite ninja?" The mans voice was gruff and Naruto couldn't help but feel offended at his ignorance.

Sakura's face hardened. Was he _trying_ to single her out or did he honestly not notice that she was the one without the Jounin vest on?

"Actually, I'm a medic. I was assigned on this mission as well." She informed him, a hint of forcefulness in her voice.

Sasuke nodded in Naruto's direction before fixing a cold stare on the man before him.

"Me and him just recently passed our exam." He seemed much more calm than the other two. It was true that Naruto and him were new Jounin but it had been almost two months since they started their own separate missions. The exam had really taken a beating out of them.

The man's blue eyes looked back and forth from the newly elite and the medic, sighing loudly.

"It's fine with me if that's what the Hokage ordered. Now get on in." He motioned to the rowboat.

.x.x.x.x.

Minutes later they were on the water. Sakura and Naruto sat in front of Sasuke, while their transport man took the spot at the nose of the boat.

Sakura clutched her pink cloak tightly around her to block out the cold wind. As they got closer and closer to Mist, they could feel the air thickening and were soon covered by a heavy fog.

Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat, antsy for the interesting part of the mission to actually commence.

When they got around for or five meters from the shore line, the man spoke:

"I can't go any further than here without my travel papers so you're going to have to wade to land."

"Alright." Sakura and Naruto peered into the water hopelessly before reluctantly climbing over the side of the boat and sliding into the cool water.

Sasuke passed them their bags, to carry over their heads, before getting in himself. The man set down the oars to hand Sasuke his own things- before returning to his seat.

The water was freezing but no one complained. Over the year's Naruto and Sasuke had become much taller but even though Sakura grew as well, they still seemed to always be at least a head above her in height. The water nearly reached her shoulders but was only mid-chest to the other two.

"Arigatou." Sakura thanked the man, struggling to keep her bag up and still tread through the water.

"Arigatou." Sasuke said half-heartedly, not bothering too look back behind him.

"Thanks!" Naruto called behind as well.

The guy waved before rowing backwards and disappearing into the looming fog. The water became more shallow with each step and before they knew it, they were on land.

The first thing they felt was the wind. It chilled them to the bone, seeping hough their wet clothes to spread goose-bumps on their flesh.

"We need to hurry to the central village before we all get sick." Sasuke spoke as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Can't disagree with that." Sakura pulled her cloak to her neck in a futile attempt to keep warm.

"Unhh..." Naruto clutched his stomach. "I think I'd starve before I froze to death. We haven't eaten anything since breakfast and it's clearly past noon!"

Sakura sighed."You're always hungry." She pointed it out but soon realized he was right and she was feeling kind of hungry herself.

Sasuke chose to ignore his comment. He preferred to do his missions alone. Since he hadn't been on an assignment with both Sakura _and _Naruto in at least two years now(not including the time that he was gone), he was still trying to adjust to their company.

* * *

Large trees, with deep red and orange leaves, climbed up the slope and off the shore.

Clam shells scattered the sandy beach. The air still held its usual autumn chill but the beauty of the island was like nothing they've seen before. Actually...one of them was rather reminded of the chaste village of Waterfall.

"Where exactly are we?" Naruto asked after a while of running towards the center of the village.

"We're in the village of pearl. Were you even listening to anything Kakashi-sama said?" Sakura called back,quickening her pace.

"Of course I was! I just forgot for a minute thats all..."

The three slowed down when they started noticing houses and buildings. The wind from running there had helped to dry their clothes but they still stayed somewhat damp.

They walked inside a local restaurant after reaching the center of the city.

"Ah..." Sakura relaxed, happy to rest. She sat down in one of the soft booths and was soon joined by Naruto. Sasuke took his time walking to the table to slide in across from them. He leaned back comfortably and closed his eyes in thought and attempted relaxation.

The air was much warmer inside the building than outdoors and after blocking out his vision he became sensitive to the crackle of a fire.

One on each side of the room is he was hearing right.

Moment's later a young lady in the restaurants uniform came up to the table so he brought his head back down to meet her cheery eyes.

"Hello there, would you like some menu's?" Not waiting for a response she placed a menu in front of each one of them and smiled. The woman stood there for a bit,looking at something and before she made them _too uncomfortable_ she spoke. "I couldn't help but notice your headbands. You must be ninja from the leaf. I do hope you enjoy your time here!"

Sasuke felt his temper slowly rising.

"On your way to Mist?" She added.

"That is none of your concern." Sasuke quickly cut in before Naruto or Sakura could speak. He kept his eyes on his menu while the woman looked at him, a bit offended.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be nosy."

"Its fine!" Sakura tried to save-face.

_'No. It's not.' _Sasuke thought to himself while his eyes scanned the different combinations of sushi rolls.

"Well, I'll leave you time to pick out what you want to order." She left the table a bit awkwardly.

The booth was silent as they looked at the menus.

"Thanks a lot Sasuke, now their going to spit in out food." Naruto hissed, breaking the silence. Sasuke put down his menu, choosing not to respond.

"She couldn't have been upset over such a small comment." Sakura quickly added; "No offense Sasuke-kun."

"None taken." He said folding a hands over his other one and, resting his elbows on the table. Waiting for the woman to return.

* * *

After they ate, they went straight to get a boat.

"Why do _we _need a boat? Isn't their someone Kakashi-sensei set up to take us across?" Naruto ran to catch up with Sasuke and Sakura who were walking ahead, letting their eyes run-over their side of the road for a decent shop.

"Actually, we're not spending the night here so we can get to The village hidden in Mist faster." said Sasuke stopping to look at a particular store. "In here."

"Why aren't we staying here?" He meant as in' how would it get them their quicker' but it came out sounding like he just ignored what the Uchiha had told him. Either way, he persisted ,still having to jog a bit to keep the same pace as Sasuke who had already gone inside, Sakura ran ahead as well.

"He just answered that Naruto. It wont take us as long to arrive if we sleep on the city borders tonight. The sooner we find Ishimaru, the sooner we can go home." She answered with an amused smile.

Sakura and Naruto met Sasuke at the front counter. She reached over him to ring the bell for service since Sasuke didn't look like he was doing it anytime soon. A plump man with red cheeks and gray hair poked up from under the counter at the sound of the light 'ding'.

The three jumped back in alarm, and then found themselves staring dumbly at his large smile and jam stained, white apron.

"Santa Clause?" Naruto looked closer.

Sakura discreetly hit him on the elbow, while Sasuke stepped up to the table and spoke in a flat voice:

"We need a boat."

* * *

"Urg..." Naruto groaned. "How much farther until we get there?"

His complaining wasn't helping the situation one bit.

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto all walked towards Pearl's city border, with the weight of their bags in the boat in addition to the weight of the row-boat itself.

It's not that the boat was to heavy for Naruto-or so he had insisted when Sasuke slyly questioned his petulant behavior- he just wished all this traveling would go quicker.

"We're almost there; I can feel the chill from the water." Sakura informed him as they walked through an abnormally dense forest that would soon lead them to the water's edge-mere minutes away from Mist. There were scarcely any leaves left, but the trunks alone made her wonder if it would be possible to pass in mid-summer.

A small bead of sweat rested against her temple, buts she smiled, aside from her discomfort. Her arms felt like they would fall off from them being held over her head for so long but her training as a medic nin and prepared her for such labor.

During the past few years Sakura had achieved much as a ninja. After obtaining the rank of chunnin, she found her place in the medical field, where her smarts and training could be put too good use. Sakura needed such challenges to keep her mind off Sasuke when he left. It had been so hard...but that's finished, she reminded herself.

If an enemy were to attack right now, she would be more than ready for it. Sasuke kept his usual relaxed composure while he walked. He was in front of Sakura with Naruto towing behind him.

She eyed the swirl on the back of Naruto's Jounin vest . Even after all that mess he had to go through, he still made it as an elite ninja. Sakura felt sort of foolish for doubting him when they were younger but the two had, over the years, developed a devoted friendship. As silly as he did seem at times, Naruto had surely matured. If he was still the same little boy, why would Tsunade keep sending him on those crazy S-class missions so often? And Sasuke...

She wondered deep down if he ever thought of leaving Konoha again to finish off his brother. After coming so close what keeps him in the Leaf? He had increased his power immensely so it shouldn't be fear... against her will she frowned. She was almost certain it wasn't her. Had he given up on Itachi, or realized revenge will bring no peace?

They traveled in a comfortable silence.

.x.x.x.x.

At first it was the noticeable temperature drop and then the soothing sound of waves, crawling up the sand just to fall hopelessly back into the large body of water, forced by the strong gravitational pull, that got their attention.

The three plopped down the boat in a huff. They were still in the trees but could see bits of the water if they looked beyond their resting place at the small clearing.

Sakura stretched her arms, Sasuke sat on a log and Naruto took out a snack from his backpack; he dropped the other two's bags in front of them.

* * *

After a quick rest Sakura was the first to stand. "We need firewood and something to eat for the night. I picked up some fruit in town but I'm sure something solid would be nice." She smiled.

"I'll go get some some wood, and I'm sure you two can find some dinner. Sakura was about to leave.

"Hurry back. It's almost nightfall." Sasuke warned, trying not to sound protective.

"It shouldn't take long." She added, the slightest bit surprised at his comment, before turning and walking away.

Sasuke sat up straight. He never really remembered how awkward it became when him and Naruto were left alone so the feeling caught him off guard. He had to think about what to say so it didn't start an automatic argument.

"Lets go." He ordered standing up.

"Whatever. As long as we eat." Naruto ultimately stood, and for once allowed someone like Sasuke to be in charge.

.x.x.x.x.

After a bit Sakura returned to where the boat was, just barely making it back to the right place. The forest was big and getting lost seemed to be terribly simple, and there was also the grayish-blue light that dimmed making everything seem languid and blank.

She looked around expectantly- no one was there. Sakura decided she wold get started on the fire right away to keep her mind off of worrying about them -or about herself for that matter. Who would want to be abandoned in a forest alone? But they wouldn't...

Taking pieces of roughly cut wood she made a standard fire-tepee. After placing some rocks around the branches she sat back onto the dusty ground, the slightest bit tired by the rush. Nightfall was approaching.

.x.x.x.x.

Minutes later, Sasuke and Naruto burst through the tree's; water sprayed over Sakura's face and she abruptly stood up. Before she could get angry at them, Sakura realized in the last bit of light that they were soaking wet.

"We hurried back as quick as we could." Sasuke said, walking over to the pile of wood and instinctively lighting it with his fire jutsu.

He looked angry.

Naruto shared the same agitated expression as he settled down on a log Sakura had thoughtfully placed by the fire.

"uh..." Sakura hesitated. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened to you two?" She watched as the fire made shadows dance upon their faces.

Naruto shivered, for the sun light had completely vanished and nothing was worse than being outside after dark and soaking wet in this sort of weather.

"Naruto." Sasuke said pointedly, beckoning for Naruto to answer Sakura's question.

"We fell in the river." Naruto said plainly.

"There's a river?" Sakura saw nothing but the shoreline.

"Hai. If you travel for about two miles there's a river." Sasuke sat down at the foot of the log.

"Oh..." She said understandingly. Not wanting to push it and ask how she changed the subject. "You two need to change clothes or you'll freeze to death."

She got up and went to her bag, returning quickly with two blankets in her hand. "Or you could just dry off." She passed one too Naruto who accepted it with a grateful nod; then she circled behind the log to place one gently over Sasuke's strong shoulders.

"Thanks." He said in an unexpressed tone, a bit uncomfortable about the special attention.

She sighed, sitting down. "So...where's the dinner?"

Sasuke looked to Naruto who reached behind himself with both hands and pulled out a bunch of fish.

"Mmm, looks great!" Sakura said pleased, standing up to prepare them over the blazing flames of the fire.

"unless I'm just really hungry.." She mumbled,sliding the shiny silver fish onto long sticks.

.x.x.x.x.

"So..." Naruto put down his finished fish ca bob stick and looked eagerly from Sakura to Sasuke. "what's the plan?" Sakura looked to the hard soil for a moment, contemplating something before responding.

"Since it would be faster, I was thinking we could split up and scout Mist thoroughly from all angles. To do that we have to each take different areas along the coast and work our way to the center of the city. Then we could meet and...eeto..."

"What if one of us finds Ishimaru and we're all by ourselves?" Naruto said, tearing his gazed from the fire he was staring at to face Sakura.

Sasuke looked back and forth from the two, listening closely.

"That's a good question." Sakura said, happy to answer. "It shouldn't be much trouble for which one of us finds him to bring him to wherever we choose to meet. Though, from there we have to go straight to their Mizukage and ask to bring him in for question."

It was a well known rule. You cannot simply trespass into another country and seize a citizen.

"Great! And the Mizukage shouldn't have a problem with it." Naruto thought out loud.

"Unless he's in on it as well." Sasuke commented. It was a possibility.

Sakura and Naruto went quiet , the only sound was the crackling fire.

"That's ridiculous!" Naruto laughed nervously.

Sasuke shrugged, so Sakura took this as a sign to return to the main topic. "Anyways, if we're going to pull this off we can't draw to much attention to ourselves. Ishimaru could run if he found out Konoha is searching for him."

"Hmm." Sasuke and Naruto nodded in agreement.

"So then it's settled. Does everyone agree?" Sasuke said, looking to his teammates.

"Yeah." Sakura nodded.

"Sure." Naruto stood up. "Well, I'm exhausted so lets go to sleep." He yawned, kicking his shoes off and sliding into his sleeping bag. He was now nice and dry from the heat of the flame.

"I'm kind of tired myself." Sakura did the same and Sasuke got up silently to go to bed as well.

The three of them all had their sleeping mats beside each others for warmth. Sasuke and Naruto sandwiched Sakura who snuggled into her blanket.

Naruto appeared to be already sleeping with a small puddle of drool by his lax mouth, and Sasuke had his back turned to both of them-contemplating whether or not he could tell the two he wanted to move to the other side of the fire without sounding rude.

"I'll wake you both up in the morning." Sakura mumbled before covering her face with the blanket. After the shuffling of sheets the forest was silent.

* * *

**End Chapter Two**

* * *

**_-/Autumn Fortress/_**


	4. Ishimaru

**Disclaimer :**I do not own Naruto

* * *

**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter three_

-ISHIMARU-

* * *

Light. As Sakura came to her senses she woke to a vibrant orange glow filtering though her eyelids. She groaned in annoyance and opened her eyes upon realizing she had came out of her covers during her sleep and was exposed to the merciless sun. Turning, Sakura noticed a very handsome face. Sasuke appeared to have turned and rolled over during his sleep. He was so close Sakura could feel his even breathing against her pale skin. 

She froze, then started at him for a bit, marveling at his delicate features, but of course, thinking about his reaction when he would wake, she inched back awkwardly.

A short gasp escaped her rosy lips when she backed into Naruto. Frustrated Sakura sat up, chilled morning air hitting her face.

After she stood, Naruto exhaled loudly and rolled into where Sakura once lay. She looked back and shook her head.

* * *

_'Mm...what's that smell?...' _Naruto smiled, tossing around in his sleep. After noticing the tempting scent wasn't a dream he shot open his eyes, super hungry. Sakura looked over to him when he sat up. 

"Good-morning Naruto." She quickly went back to frying some eggs she discovered in a birds nest close by.

Sasuke sat silently beside her, bored now that Sakura had politely turned down his offer to help.

"Smells great!" Naruto grinned, walking over to his bag to grab his things so he could get ready. "I'm going to wash up in the river, don't eat without me!", and then he ran off.

It was quiet while Sakura cooked, just the two listening to the spitting sounds of the pan. Sasuke watched her for a moment, before staring into space again.

"Sasuke, could you please reach into the front pocket of my bag and grab the pepper?" Sakura asked, only briefly glancing over to him.

"Uh, sure."

* * *

When breakfast was finished Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were ready to go. They had stored their things in a tree near camp, for when they would pass through again to return to Konoha. The trip to Mist seemed like more of an outing since the three assumed they would be back before sundown, but like may other things in their lives, it still remained an uncertainty. 

Sasuke pushed the boat from the shorelines sand and rocks, them jumped in himself, joining the other two shinobi.

They arrived in Mist at around ten-thirty am.

* * *

Sasuke walked up from the beach after tying the boat. They were finally there. 

"So, we split up now." Naruto said.

"Right, but we meet in the village center in about forty-five minutes. That would be the Mizukage's main building."she pointed vaguely above the sandy slope.

"Got it, and at least, try to be on time." Sasuke watched the two nod.

They separated from there and found three main parts of the shoreline where they could gradually proceed to the center of the city. By now, each one of them had a perfect mind picture of Ishimaru's appearance. They studied the picture carefully, memorizing every facial feature so not to be fooled by a disguise. In the photo they were given, he wasn't exactly facing the camera. His blue eyes looked cold and angry and his gaze was directed to the side. Ishimaru's hair was blond and lengthy (to the back of his knees), and was kept neatly behind him, tied back with some kind of red, satin rope. He was certainly not aware that a photo was being taken of him, but he appeared on-edge, perhaps suspicious of another presence.

* * *

Sasuke walked casually down the streets of Mist. 

It had changed.

That was the first thing he noticed when he entered the city- kirigakure was different. His eyes darted around him, scanning the faces of the busy people for Ishimaru.

Nothing so far.

* * *

Sakura looked at her surroundings in bewilderment. The city was crowded like usual...the buildings hadn't changed. Confused, she glanced around herself again. That's it. Almost everyone in the village was going in the same direction- towards the center. 

_'Why? What for?' _She asked herself, watching the remainder of the villagers through their store windows working hard, feeding fires, chopping wood and rolling dough.

"Excuse me sir, where are you taking that?" Sakura asked, jogging to keep up with a man carrying two baskets of fresh fruit. He looked at her strangely, still walking.

"To the Mizukage of course."

"Is that where the others are going as well?" When he replied she asked again, "What does the Mizukage need all this for?"

The man slowed down slightly.

An older woman beside them cut in with a bitter voice. "It's for the banquet tonight."

Sakura turned to her, surprised, trying to keep up with their rushed paces.

"Banquet? Are they still celebrating his new position as head ninja?"

"No," The woman responded hastily. "It's for Mizukage-sama and his men only, like every other banquet."

Momentarily, she forgot all thoughts of Ishimaru. "And how does the village feel about this?"

"We don't really have a choice." The man whispered loudly, as if someone would hear other than the old woman and Sakura.

"Ever since this 'Yukio' became Mizukage, Mist has slowly began to crumble."

"It is the unfortunate truth." The woman added. "We are not sure whether to blame this on the council and committee members for putting him in a place of power, or Yukio-sama himself. I have heard he has connections...If we keep having to supply for all of these banquets of his our people will starve! It's only a matter of time before all that is left of our prosperous water country is a shadow of the equal government we once had."

"It's a complete absurdity." The man shook his head in exasperation diluted by a growing fatigue.

Sakura wanted to help but she probably didn't have anymore impact on this city than they did in this situation. When the head was corrupt, it was the rest of the body that suffered.

Remembering her task, she thanked them for their time and stopped walking to let them continue on.

She stood there in deep thought as a number of people rushed around her.

After a few moments, she turned around and hurried against the crowd. Sakura needed to backtrack.

* * *

Naruto-like Sasuke-never really found it strange that nearly everyone was walking the same way. He guessed it was coincidence. Right... 

Actually, he was too focused to even notice the change.

_'Ishimaru, Ishimaru, Ishimaru...' _He repeated over in his head. '_Where the hell are you?'_

He searched the city's troubled faces for the man's distinct features. Those piercing blue eyes were a good start.

After about ten minutes of no luck he decided on going for more general characteristics.

Long. Blond. Hair.

His gaze glided over the people rushing by as he stood there. Leaned up against the side of an old bakery, behind the side walk, facing the street.

Naruto's eyes drifted shut...and then he saw it. A flash of blond pass his half closed eyelids. They quickly shot open again and he frantically looked both ways, then hurried after the person who had walked by him.

Someone with low-back blond hair in an elegant coat as black as charcoal walked fast ahead of Naruto. The stranger kept their back turned to him.

"Hey! Hey you!" He called, catching up to them.

They turned around and immediately Naruto's face dropped in disappointment. This was not a boy like he had expected but a young lady, probably around his age or a bit older. She had lightly tanned skin, glossy blond hair and a mischievous heart shaped mouth. She turned around with surprised green eyes under thick lashes.

"Oh, sorry." Naruto apologized uncomfortably. "I thought you were someone else."

"That's fine." She smiled. "Though may I help you with anything? I might possibly know who you search for."

Naruto paused to think for a second. "Actually, have you seen..." He pulled out something from his pocket and handed it to her. "This man."

She examined it closely before her lime eyes widened noticeably.

* * *

Sasuke sighed, trudging over to a fountain to formulate an official search plan while sitting on the cold cement edge. 

It had been twenty minutes already and still no Ishimaru. _'Perhaps he was already found.' _He told himself, taking off the slight guilt of failure. He ran his fingers through his nave hair, standing. _'I should ask around.' _He hopped off the fountain and disappeared into the streets.

An unlit figure watched Sasuke closely through unusual burgundy eyes, from a shaded area behind the fountain. He smirked blood thirsty, and whispered into a small headset, hidden behind bone-straight hair- the same startling color of his eyes. "They're here."

* * *

"What business do you have with him?" The young girl curiously asked Naruto, holding on tightly to the picture. 

Something was wrong.

She made an effort to suppress whatever she was feeling but her voice still sounded rushed.

"I'm sorry miss but I can't share that with you. I don't even know your name." Naruto laughed at the truth in his statement.

"Right, uh, my apologies." She reached out her hand and Naruto shook it. "Ta-I mean, Akina." She answered with a small smile, impatient about her unanswered question.

Naruto ignored that she didn't give her last name. "Uzumaki, Naruto." He grinned. "I'm a Jounin from the Leaf."

"Oh..." She drew her hand back. "Why don't you have a-" My business here is supposed to remain undisclosed so we removed are headbands."

"Right." She said, understanding completely. "Who's _we_?" The girl questioned innocently, her arched brows raising slightly under her blond bangs. They shot out like daggers on each side of her face.

"Me and the two others who were assigned here, but that's not important," Naruto shook his head to throughly brush off the irrelevant thought. "Who is Ishimaru Aro, and where can I find him?"

She stiffened, then slowly began.

"Ishimaru. He is one of Mizukage-sama's most trusted men. He stands behind him with only the most elite, though he is used for his mind and not his power. He is no longer a ninja." She wrapped her black coat tighter around her and handed the picture back to Naruto. "He is most likely in the government building, I am sure it would be best if you stayed away from him." She concluded, averting her gaze from the young man in front of her to the thickening fog that had been settling on the ground around them for some time.

A sign it was time for her to go.

"Thank-you so much!" Naruto smiled appreciatively. "It was nice meeting you, thanks again for the help."

"Not a problem."

He waved his good-bye and started running towards the center of the village-the Mizukage's place but also the meeting spot of the konoha team members.

Akina continued walking down the sidewalk, letting her confusion show after the eerie fog dissipated. _Doichi..._

She put both hands in the warm pockets of her coat, feeling out the slim metal plate against cloth. She frowned, tracing the outline of the sand symbol with her tanned finger.

_'Is leaf a possible ally, or will they become an interference?'_

* * *

"Sakura," Sasuke stood to greet her. "Any luck?" 

"No." She replied, frustrated with herself. "What about you?"

"Nothing, I searched the eastern areas of Mist straight to here and I never saw him." Sasuke didn't look at her when he spoke, but he heard Sakura sigh.

"I guess it's up to Naruto, he should be here soon."

--ten minutes later--

"Oi! I'm back!" Naruto, ran up to his teammates who were now rested on a near by bench.

"You're late." Sakura stated, annoyed. "We were this close to coming and looking for you." She demonstrated with her fingers.

"But it's okay I'm late. I know where to find Ishimaru."

This got their attention and Naruto was more than happy to share the information he gathered with the two.

.x.x.x.x.

"He's associated with the Mizukage?" Sakura asked when Naruto was done.

"Yeah, that's what I was told. He's the Mizukage's right hand man or something like that." Naruto shrugged.

"Do you think that this Kage could have possibly had something to do with Azamaki-san's murder?" Sasuke said, considering the idea.

"If for some reason that's the case, our job might be harder than we had expected..." Sasuke furrowed his brow and Naruto got a look of fear, masked by determination to face whatever it was that would keep them from carrying out this mission. "We should go now before the banquet thing Sakura told us about starts."

"I agree. We wouldn't want to ruin anyone else's fun." Sakura added, standing from her sitting position on the bench.

"Good, let's go."

* * *

Sasuke led them rapidly towards the large building of the Mizukage. They were nodded at by the guards as a sign of letting the three pass. Security in this city seemed to be unusually tight. 

After being taken down a number of hallways they arrived at two large red wood doors. They were pushed open from the inside to reveal an isolated desk in the center of the room, with the Mizukage seated comfortably in it and two Jounin standing on each side behind him.

Sakura took quick note that these ninja were elite.

His face was darkened by the intimidating traditional Kage head piece, but you could see his lips curve into an all too sweet smile before he spoke.

"Ohayo." Yukio greeted them in a raspy voice.

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto heard the doors close behind them.

"Ohayo." They responded formally, bowing in respect.

"State your business here." He ordered.

Sasuke and Naruto looked to Sakura who stepped forward, showing she was going to speak on behalf of the three.

"We are from Konohagakure, and were sent here by the fire shadow to bring back Ishimaru Aro. He is being questioned for relations to the murder of your previous Mizukage- Azamaki Komotaro."

They watched, expressionless, as the Jounin behind him squirmed uncomfortably and muttered among themselves. The piercing violet eyes of one of them fell on Sakura sending chills up her spine. She stepped back in the row with Sasuke and Naruto when there was no immediate response.

The Mizukage looked up, his eyes clouded as he inwardly contemplated something. After a few moments, Yukio raised his hand to hush the ninja behind him. "I give you permission to remove him from the city on these terms only: I need to be notified if he is found guilty and that you return him within two weeks time. He is not a prisoner but a suspect I presume so treat him as such."

"That is correct." Sasuke answered. "Thank you for understanding."

"Demo, Mizukage-sama!" One of the Jounin whispered desperately, visibly struggling to contain some mix of emotion. "We need Ishimaru here. Who knows what they will do to him if they take him, he's not even a-"

"Silence." Yukio hissed, infuriated about the outburst. "We have nothing to hide in this village, do we not, so why not let him be questioned." He spoke with his gaze on the three before him, who stared in suspicious confusion.

The man behind him apologized before taking his place again.

"And in fact," The Mizukage continued, regaining his almighty composure. "Azamaki-san was my brother so if it helps with the investigation I see no problem."

Sakura exhaled sharply at the shock while Sasuke and Naruto stood still in silent disarray. Why hasn't an investigation already been conducted?

The Jounin's faces were unreadable except for the one who was responsible for the scene. He started at the floor, troubled and angry. Perhaps he knew Ishimaru well.

Naruto observed one Jounin in particular who had long blond hair and Sakura's jade eyes. Akina seemed to be purposefully avoiding his eyes after she noticed his awkward glance in her direction. She hadn't expected him to actually come here.

"Bring Ishimaru to me. You, from Konoha, may wait for him outside."

The three bowed again while Naruto- as instructed by his team mates- struggled to keep quiet. So many questions were running through his head as they walked outside of the room to wait by the door.

.x.x.x.x.

Back in the office, the Mizukage turned to one of the ninja behind him. There were only three now, accompanied by Ishimaru who had pleading eyes rested on Yukio. "What are you doing? If you let them take me they could torture me and then they might-" He paused, straightening instead of leaning down to Yukio's height in his seat. "How do you know they won't return here?" Ishimaru applied the last part like it was some kind of threat.

"They will not return here. Tell them the truth, you did not kill my brother. Do you want to seem suspicious though? This is..." The Mizukage sighed. "for the best."

.x.x.x.x.

Naruto brought his head back to bump it impatiently on the wall outside. He leaned up against the hallway with Sasuke sitting knees up on the floor beside him, accompanied by Sakura.

"What's taking them so long?"

"I'm not sure." Sakura whispered, actually becoming slightly worried. "Shouldn't someone have came out with us to get Ishimaru?"

The three became quiet.

Sasuke voiced their thoughts; "Unless, the whole time he's been in there."

Just then, the large doors opened and Ishimaru slowly walked out to face them.

"Sorry for the wait."

* * *

Inside, Yukio turned his cold stare to another Jounin behind him. He had deep red stick straight hair and piercing burgundy eyes, appearing to be in his twenty's. 

"Nikko."

"Yes."

"Nyoko."

"Yes my lord."

"I need you to do something for me." He waited, quickly re-thinking the consequences of the order. " I want you to go after them and... kill Ishimaru."

"But Mizukage-sama." Nyoko objected. She had the same hair as her twin brother, Nikko, but her eyes and hair were both a vivid violet. "Ishimaru will return within the time-"

"No. He withers under pressure and if he slips during interrogation it could lead to torture and he would rather spoil our plans than face his own death. We knew Konoha would come so it' is time to take action."

"Yes Mizukage-sama. Sorry for doubting you."

Yukio straightened in his seat. "You are forgiven. I want Ishimaru dead and no one else- that means keep the members of Konohagakure _alive_- we do not need more trouble. Have no witnesses. If he is heavily guarded, take him at night. Understood?"

"Hai." They both responded with curt nods.

"Excellent. Now before they get too far ahead of you, go."

* * *

**End chapter three**

* * *

Thank-you for reading. Reviews are much appreciated. 

_-Autumn fortress /x/_


	5. Capture

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

* * *

**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter four_

-CAPTURE-

* * *

Dusk came shortly after Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto arrived on the borders of the small island again, this time accompanied by Ishimaru. After some supper, consisting of rice and fish, they returned their boat to the small shop- Nikko and Nyoko hot on their tails. 

The siblings stealth skills were amazing, the exact reason why Yukio assigned them to the task. It seemed suspiciously easy to the two, finishing Ishimaru off. He wasn't even a ninja. And even though Nikko and Nyoko had worked beside him numerous times, a mission is a mission and feelings had nothing to do with it. They grew up knowing that was what being shinobi was all about.

It was night and the fire blazed. It lit their regular place on the island, piercing the dark with it's hot glow. Bound tightly to a tree, Ishimaru glared at the three of them as they watched him from their place on a log thoughtfully.

"Is this really_ necessary_?" He asked, annoyed. Tugging at the rope around his wrists.

"Of course it is!" Naruto barked. "We don't need you running away on us. Just look at you..." He pointed at him, "you have suspicion written all over you."

"But we still have the problem of food." Sasuke reminded them.

"Yeah..." Sakura said thinking it over. "We can't leave him alone."

Naruto looked straight to Sasuke."I don't see why Sasuke doesn't go get the fish by himself instead of just coming to boss me around while I get wet up to my elbows in ice cold water."

"That is out of the question Naruto." Sasuke stated, keeping his cool.

_'What a pathetic bunch...' _Ishimaru thought, slumping back into the tree.

Before Naruto could start up again Sakura shared her idea. "You and Naruto go get the food, I'll stay here and watch him."

Sasuke straightened. "But Sakura...what if he gets loose? There are most likely people after him if he was _really _involved in Azamaki-san's murder. How can you think they won't hurt you as well?"

"Because," she laughed even though inside she felt unsure. "I'll just come get you, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure Sakura?"Naruto asked, standing with Sasuke.

"I'm positive. We've trained together many times so I'm positive I can handle another ninja." She smiled assuringly, "Just hurry back."

After a moment of scrutinizing her, "Alright, come on Sasuke." Naruto called, grabbing onto the rough bark of a branch to flip himself higher into the tree tops. Sasuke hesitated.

Before following he turned to face Sakura, standing close so he could look down into her eyes. "If anything happens...call us, alright." He said quietly so Ishimaru couldn't hear.

"Hai." She answered, staring back at him candidly. They stayed like that for a moment, Sasuke reminding himself that she was only a chunnin. But she would call him. She said so herself.

Satisfied, he nodded, then turned and disappeared into the forest.

.x.x.x.x.

Sakura sat; her face was stern and composed, keeping watch and guarding Ishimaru. He fidgeted uneasily under her suspicious stare and tried to get as comfortable against the rigid tree bark as he possibly could. Eventually, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

She snapped out of her odd trance when she noticed the fire starting to dim. Sakura was running out of wood and needed to get more. Sasuke and Naruto would probably be back within then next fifteen minutes but it would most likely be completely burnt out by then...

She stood up and looked directly to Ishimaru.

"I know you're awake."

He twitched.

"We need more fire wood, I will be back shortly." Sakura still wasn't satisfied with his careless, unspoken response of utter silence. "Try anything and I won't hesitate to kill you."

He opened his eyes and looked at her to search for any trace of bluff-he thought she needed him. Finding none he grunted and tried to go back to sleep, clearly uncomfortable.

Sakura started her walk away from camp.

.x.x.x.x.

Meanwhile, Nikko and Nyoko were watching patiently from the darkness of the surrounding trees.

This was their chance.

They waited a couple more minutes until coming out of hiding. jumping from the shadow, they landed slyly in front of Ishimaru, their feet making no sound when coming in contact with the ground.

"Hello, Ishimaru." Nyoko purred sweetly , turning her rose lips up into a smile.

Ishimaru's eyes shot open and looked up excitedly to the source of the familiar voice.

"Thank-goodness!" He breathed, tugging at the ropes again with a new energy. "Did Yukio-sama finally change his mind? I knew he wouldn't really let the Leaf take me..."

Nyoko stepped back and Nikko took her place in front of him. Ishimaru looked at their expressions confusedly with an uneasy feeling in his gut. He knew those eyes.

"Guys...aren't you going to untie me?"

Now he violently tried to shake his hands free.

.x.x.x.x.

Sakura stopped. What was she doing? Sasuke said himself people could come afterIshimaru and what good would he be dead? The whole point of the mission was to bring him back safely to Konoha. She took wood she had and ran as fast as she could back to the campground. She sensed an unusual chakra as she approached and reflexively slowed her pace. She had felt the same sort of eerie feeling back in the room with the Mizukage and now was curious why she felt it here. Sakura soon found out when she could hear the Jounin talking amongst each other at her campsite. Immediately she took cover behind a nearby tree, masking her powerful chakra. She watched the fires dying flame start to darken familiar faces...where had she seen them? Bone straight red hair...those violet eyes...

Sakura stiffened. What were two of Mist's Jounin doing here? _They must be after... _She thought worriedly, contemplating whether or not to fight or run and get her teammates. She slowly took out a kunai from from the holster on her thigh and ran her fingers over the cool blade nervously.

"Sorry Ishimaru, Mizukage's orders." Nyoko mocked while her brother pressed a throwing knife to Ishimaru's neck and in a quick motion, slit the young man's throat. Nyoko let her thin fingers off his forehead and let the dyeing's head drop. Blood poured from the wound and his limp body hung forward, his eye lids sliding closed over terrified blue orbs.

She tensed and tried to think clearly through her fear- something she has always had a small problem with, ever since she was young. Sakura trembled slightly. She could fight but, with some effort, both of them would kill- or at the least- injure her to a dangerous extent. The young medic clenched her pale fists, remembering her words to Sasuke- she had to find them quickly.

The mission had failed.

Standing, she prepared to hop down but it was too late. One of them had already seen her. Sakura froze when she heard a cool voice wrap around her name.

"Haruno Sakura." Nyoko said bitterly, eying the forest around her.

_How does she know my name... _Sakura thought, on guard.

"I take it you don't remember me but it was excruciatingly hard for me to forget someone like you."

Sakura listened, scarcely breathing while Nyoko tried to pinpoint her exact position, violet eyes moving swiftly.

"Do you recall of your earlier chunnin days? When you worked as a medical nin until you finally found the nerve to start _real_ missions? Or at least that is what I assumed you did, seeing you here with those Jounins."

Sakura's face hardened and she could feel cold sweat forming on the back of her neck. _How does she know..._

"That man you saved from almost a certain death...Uchiha Sasuke." She laughed but it was not a joyous one. It was laced with hate at recalling the memory as it washed, like her sweet voice did, over the heavy clearing. "Well guess what? Even though it was clearly none of your concern you just had to wander out to Konohas border and stick your weak little nose into it didn't you?"

Sakura felt a surge of anger flow through her. _That_ was _her? She did that to him? _She started to remember that night so long ago...

Sasuke- bloodied and bruised, one arm broken and the other with such a hideous gash in it, it appeared just as immobile. He lay there on the muddy ground, staring into nothing with his blank eyes and unmoving expression- conscious but helpless in the pouring rain. He silently cursed his attackers before blacking out.

If she hadn't found him, he surely would have bled to death.

"Eight chunnin!" She continued, speaking loud so Sakura could hear. "The two of us that survived...You almost got me killed for ruining our assassination!" Nyoko took a fierce battle stance looking straight through the trees onto Sakura's angry face. The medics eyes widened and she readied herself for a fight.

Sakura front flipped off the branch and put her kunai defensively in front of herself after a graceful landing on the ground. Dust rose from around her feet, mingling with the nearly palpable tension in the chilled night air around them. Sakura's words wiped the cocky smile right from Nyoko's face.

"A real ninja would have finished the job, but now that I think of it, you seem stupid enough to take such chances." Sakura watched with a mix of pride and horror as her raspberry lips curved into a snarl.

"Who are **you **to tell an **elite **how to carry our her tasks?" She spat before coming at the young woman full speed. Dirt elevated with each step, reacting with the strong amount of chakra surrounding Nyoko's feet. Sakura had little time to react, for in seconds she was in front of her slashing a kunai towards the side of her neck.

The sound of metal against metal parroted through the still wood.

Sakura pushed the kunai away from her neck with her own weapon, slowly loosing confidence as it got closer and closer to her skin. Nyoko effortlessly added more force to her own hand, driving the blade nearer. The Haruno couldn't hold much longer. Her feet slid back in the earth, Nyoko's face a foot away from hers. After a while of struggling, they jumped back, skidding in the soil from the force.

"Stop it Nyoko, you can't kill her! Have you already forgotten our orders?" Nikko yelled to his sister who was busy intercepting her enemy's wild blows.

Agitated by her resistance, Nyoko tightened her grip on Sakura's right fist that she had caught from one of her punches. A sharp intake of breath- Sakura was being held into place. Before she could even think to counter, Nyoko's years of Jounin experience were instinctively put into play. She used her free hand to whip out a kunai and slash at the kunoichi's side. The girl pivoted but couldn't get far. The Jounin watched in pleasure as blood flew from Sakura's waist.

Sakura cried out in pain and in a second, Nyoko had her pulled in her direction to keep her from tumbling back. She spun the kunai twice around on her finger before throwing it into the ground.

As Sakura fell, Nyoko yelled furiously to her foolish brother; "He also said," Nyoko's hair covered her violet eyes for a moment and her face went calm and dark as she brought her free hand back. "no witnesses!" She lunged at the falling Sakura with a fist crackling with chakra and punched her in the stomach so violently she flew against a nearby tree, arching her back painfully upon impact.

She slid down the trunk and didn't move for a moment. Sakura stirred, then tried to steady herself on all fours, spitting up warm blood.

Nikko glanced at Sakura, trying not to panic. Anymore of this and the girl would die- then both of them would have to answer to Yukio. "But we still can't kill her!" He said, his green eyes flashing dangerously at his sister.

'Then what do you suggest we do with her?" Nyoko snapped.

"We take her back to Mist and let the Mizukage deal with her."

_'Mist...' _Sakura repeated to herself. She took the opportunity of the distraction to rip off her head band and leave it on the ground. She engraved something into the dirt with her finger while Nyoko relaxed slightly, pondering the idea. He had a good point.

"Fine, but she won't come without any trouble and her little friends will be returning soon." Nyoko turned her attention back on Sakura, her purple eyes narrowing.

The girl wiped her mouth drowsily, standing. "Uhn..." She felt a searing pain in her spine, blood oozed from the large gash in her side that held an almost unbearable sting. When she hit the tree, it had opened the wound even farther. She grabbed at her waist trying to put pressure on it to cease the bleeding. Dirt smeared her pale face and her vision blurred. She shook her head to clear it, spitting out the metallic taste of fresh blood.

This time both Jounin came at her and she braced herself for the hit.

Darkness engulfed her vision.

* * *

Naruto looked horrified at the lack of Sakura and the trail of blood on the ground that dragged along for just under three meters before disappearing near the trunk of a tree. "Oh no..." Naruto whispered. "Sakura!", he called into the darkness, not thinking or caring that she was most likely dead or gone. "Sakura! Sa-ku-ra!", he yelled desperately. 

Sasuke pushed back his fear and refused to believe Sakura was dead. From examining where Ishimaru once sat he could tell whatever wound he received it was fresh and couldn't have happened more than 15-20 minutes ago. He ran his eyes over the rope that lay roughly cut and bloodstained around the tree. _'Sakura couldn't have done this...then where is she...'_ Marks in the ground told the tale of a body being dragged a bit before lifted off the ground. He looked a bit to the side of him and noticed deep imprints in the soil, the earths way of deflecting chakra. '_There was a fight here.'_ He stated, thousands of possibilities flowing through his mind.

"Damnit..." He muttered. Sasuke turned to face Naruto when he noticed he had stopped calling her name. "Sasuke...I think you should see this." Naruto kept his eyes glued to something on the forest floor. Sasuke hurried over and his gaze narrowed painfully at the black chunnin headband sprawled on the ground. Small drops of blood surrounded the Konoha leaf and underneath in capital letters **_MIST_** was engraved into the dirt. The letters were messy, carved by trembling fingers into the soil.

"She's in Mist." He whispered it like a question into the night, as if the trees would tell him what they witnessed. _'Why didn't she call for us...' _he thought, with a mix of anger and hurt. Had it really been that bad?

Before he could ponder it much further he snapped out of it. They needed to take immediate action.

"Naruto," The boy looked up with troubled eyes. "I need you to go back to Konoha and inform master Kakashi that Ishimaru is most likely dead and the mission has failed. Bring more experienced Jounin from Konoha. This is beyond our capabilities now.

Naruto stood and nodded after letting it all sink in.

"I will go after Sakura." He decided.

"Are you sure you want to go alone?" Naruto questioned.

"Considering the circumstances, we don't have a choice right now. To be safe, let's meet in Sun at dawn, it's one of the lower islands." Sasuke said, tired of wasting time. They lost distance every second.

"Right." Naruto said, with cloudy blue eyes.

Sasuke noticed his discomfort. "Naruto, I will bring her back." , he hesitated, " I promise." He assured him.

That meant a lot coming from Sasuke so Naruto forced a smile. After a rushed good-bye, they both ran their separate ways. After tossing their things in, Sasuke took their boat by the shore and paddled hastily towards Mist while Naruto passed through the main village, in search of a fast way back to Konohagakure. Naruto prayed for the coming dawn.

.x.x.x.x.

He banged his fist impatiently against Kakashi's door. No answer. He knocked again, and out of breath he tried to yell. "Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto rose his hand to knock again when the door swung open. Kakashi caught his balled fist fist before it hit him.

"Naruto?"

The boy was exasperated. He had been in such a hurry to get there his strength was almost completely drained from him. Even going as quick as he was, over three hours had already passed. He willed himself to stand and recuperate for a moment. "You need...to come quick." he panted.

"Naruto, do you know what time it is? Where are the others?" He looked around behind him.

"Sakura...she's gone!" Kakashi stopped. Sakura was in trouble?

"Where is Sasuke?" He urged, "Is he safe?"

"He's gone after her, we need to go now!" He tugged at Kakashi's sleeve. He had been watching television before the interruption.

"What happened to Ishimaru?"

Naruto paused, not really sure himself. He had good enough reason to believe he's dead. "He seems dead, there was blood on the rope and a kunai in the ground and guess what? The same people probably took Sakura, come on!"

"Let me get my things, you go tell Tsunade-sama you're bringing me with you."

Naruto released him. "O.k. We have until dawn to meet in the sun village!" He yelled behind him, already running to find Tsunade.

_'Damnit...' _kashi inwardly cursed. _'we don't have much time.' _

* * *

Sakura's eyes slowly opened to darkness. She quickly recalled what had happened in the forest and tried to sit up. She winced as pain shot through her body. It throbbed mercilessly and made her pause and catch her breath for a moment. 

First thing she noticed was her hands were tied, not with ordinary rope either. She tried to pull them loose but it burned at her wrists. She stifled a cry that threatened to escape her pale lips. Next thing, she felt the rough fabric of a blindfold against her face, closing off her vision. She focused on sound. There was no other sensed presence in the room. Slowly, she hoisted herself into a sitting position with her bound hands and feet being mindful of her wound. Even the small movement made the strings imprint marks on her ankles. She shut her eyes tight as if she was picturing the burning sensation. She had too escape.

A part of her longed for her team mates to come and save her while the other half wanted to tell them to stay away- it could be a trap to lure them here. She cursed herself for jeopardizing the safety of the ones she cared about. Sakura repressed the dull ache in her head and the tingle of the cold air hitting the open cut in her side. It chilled her even further.

That area of her shirt was soaked in her own blood and if it kept up it's profuse flow, she shuddered, she would bleed to death.

The soft noise of candles flickering made its way into her ears. Wait. If she strained her ears- and took the low pounding from her head and the soreness of her beaten body-she could pick up voices. Low voices, coming from behind a thin wall. _'I must be in some sort of storage room or closet...' _She inched her way towards the sound until she felt the wall. The voices were more clear now. Moving her tied hands up she roughly dragged down her blindfold with the back of her wrists.

Looking around quickly, she noticed she was up against a door, most likely locked. She was correct as well. Sakura was locked up and bound in some small closet-like room. She shut her eyes again tight trying to blink her vision straight. As tears pricked the corner's of her emerald green orbs, she reminded herself this was no time to panic. A good shinobi was a master escape artist...but it seemed impossible in her condition.

"Urhh." She leaned against the door, pressing her lips together in forced concentration. She had let herself been taken, been kidnapped. A prisoner! Sakura never in a million years had ever thought she would be foolish enough to be taken captive by an enemy, but...she shouldn't be so hard on herself. Two Jounin coming with one intent on a lower rank ninja couldn't have turned out any better. If they didn't need her, they would kill her. After one last glance behind her at her unfamiliar surroundings she channeled her last bit of energy on listening.

.x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru stood idly behind the government of Kiri no kuni, cloaked in a jutsu of disguise. Blond hair flowed down over her shoulders, tickling her back when she shook her head. "No, they were not followed in here." She tried to keep the same stern tone of the woman she was impersonating- the actual Jounin who took this exact place behind the Mizukage. She was a cold woman and refused to cooperate with her. That was quickly taken care of. Tabenomaru never really thought of herself as a spy but more of an 'information gatherer', Just another duty of the ninja. She was an important asset to Sand.

Nikko and Nyoko waited expectantly in front of their master. It had been almost an hour since they had arrived.

"So...what do we do with her?" Nikko questioned Yukio.

"Can we kill her?" Nyoko asked, glancing hungrily over to the door of the storage room.

Yukio was silent. "Did anyone other than the girl see?" He looked at the twins with a dangerously penetrating gaze. Tabenomaru hoped he wouldn't turn to Akina.

"No my lord." They responded.

"With all due respect master, she will be waking up soon and..." Nikko trailed off, his green eyes looking to his left.

"I am aware of that." Yukio said frustrated. "Akina," He ordered. Tabenomaru straightened in recognition of the name. "go take care of the girl with one of your assassination techniques, then find somewhere to dispose of the body. Do this quickly, there are probably people searching for her already."

_'Hah!'_ Nyoko thought._ 'Who would want to save her? She passed out before I even touched her!'_

Tabenomaru hesitated. She didn't want to harm any one from the Leaf but she would be foolish to disobey orders. Not after getting this far.

"Demo, I wanted to do it! Please Yukio-sama, let me kill her, I wont make a mess."

"No Nyoko." He silenced her calmly. "We need this done silently, and quickly without disturbing anyone else in the building with the blood curdling screams of a pretty little girl who just happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. If I let you go, when she saw you she would scream but with Akina, she can calm her down so the death will be more hushed." His lips curved upward in some form of a smile. "That should be easy for you to earn her trust, right Akina? You _are _a master of deceit."

She froze. It was hard to tell if he was hinting at her fraud or earnestly praising Akina's skills. "Yes master." She answered, bowing so her eyes didn't give her away. She kept composed.

"Good, now go."

She could feel their eyes boring into her back -Nyoko's, burning with jealousy- as she strode to the back of the room and unlocked the door. She cautiously pulled it open.

Sakura fell back in surprise and screamed in fear when she tried to approach her. She squirmed uncontrollably and violently shook her head.

"Shh..." Tabenomaru soothed, closing the door behind her.

_'Click' _

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

Sorry that took so long, I've been quite busy, haha. Is the spelling too bad? Thank-you for reading, please review. I need encouragement! I write for fun so flames will be ignored...BUT...

Hmm. where are all of the reviews? haha. If no one is reading the story than I'm not going to bother to finish it :(

If you would like to see the next chapter say anything...ANYTHING! NOW! Muahahah! GO! REVIEW THIS MOMENT!


	6. Leaf and Sand

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

_ Nyoko Gem;NikkoDaylight;Do itashi mashite You're welcome;GomenI'm sorry;Haiyes; iieno; (dijoubu) desu ka? are you okay? _

* * *

**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter five_

-LEAF AND SAND-

* * *

"Anyway," everyone looked away from the door, Nyoko and Nikko staring at Yukio expectantly. "what now?"

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke was beginning to loose hope. He searched the village frantically but all he ever seemed to come across were orange street lights shining on evened out pieces of abandoned road, Nearly the whole village was settled in their homes besides the random party on one side of town or the other which he quickly passed through in search of Sakura. There was only one more place to look but Sasuke had his doubts about finding her there. He even hesitated to enter.

The government office didn't take well to intruders and if Sasuke was caught he would most likely be arrested or perhaps accidentally killed.

He ran down the empty streets towards the center of the city, knowing somehow the risk was worth it. If she was there, he would find her.

.x.x.x.x.

Sakura squirmed distressingly under Tabenomaru's steady hand. The medic attempted to yell through the cloth in between her teeth but it just sounded like muffled gibberish. She bit down hard on it, seeking a way to let out her frustration in any other way than crying.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you." Tabenomaru began, tired of Sakura's unwillingness to be subdued. Sakura winced when she reached out to her face. She opened one eye, then the other after feeling the rough fabric leave her mouth. She rubbed away the soreness with the side of her hand.

"You think I'm going to believe you? I heard everything, I'm no fool." She swung her bound hands at this Akina who hopped back.

"Calm down, I'm serious- this is not what you think." She tried to convince Sakura that this was true, speaking low so the ones beyond the door could not hear her.

Tabenomaru had no intention of killing Sakura. She was not a threat and meaningless deaths were just a burden on her conscious.

Sakura, not registering another word reached for her weapons holster. Her anger deepened when she noticed they had removed it when she was out. Pausing to clear her head before she did anything regrettable, she realized that in her position it would be a lost cause to fight Akina.

"...how can I be certain what you say is true?" Sakura's voice was demanding and could almost pass for fearless if the shaky undertones weren't so painfully detectable.

The sand Jounin briefly paused from the other side of the room. _I don't have time for this_. She made her mind up, then quickly turned and locked the door putting the Haruno on guard all over again. Sakura left her no choice, being so difficult and all.

x.x.x.x.

Outside, Nikko and Nyoko's heads whipped around at the sound of the door locking. Yukio bowed his head knowingly, a bothersome smile on his face. "She should be finished soon."

.x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru turned back to face Sakura who was eying her madly.

She took a deep breath then placed her hands together in a seal.

"Kai.", she breathed.

Sakura's wide eyes watched the small bit of smoke clear on a tall young lady.

Tabenomaru answered the Leaf's unspoken questions with a voice of strained confidence:

"My name is Tabenomaru from the village hidden in the sand. I am here on a mission, just like you say you are, and have no intention of fighting you. I took the position behind the Mizukage as the previous Jounin there who you know as Akina. Now please, if you cooperate we can leave now."

Sakura stared at her, shocked that she couldn't even notice the disguise. She was always good for stuff like that. This nin was high level...

This spy really did look quite different than Akina. Her raven hair was pulled up on both sides by large X shaped clips . Even up, it flowed down to almost the end of her back. Her shirt was white with thin straps and went down diagonally at about a few inches above her bellybutton. The end of it cascaded downwards to her left knee in an upside down triangle.

It was evident that this woman was not deceiving her about being from sand; the black symbol was a large contrast to her snowy top and baggy ca pries. Onyx string criss crossed up half of her left arm and up her right leg, the dissapeard under the fabric of her clothes.

Sakura waited a moment after Tabenomaru, who felt she was becoming t_oo _comfortable in her true form, changed back. At least both halves of her shared those sparkling green eyes.

"I can see you're injured." Tabenomaru said, trying to snap Sakura out of her distrustful stare.

"Huh?"

She motioned to her wound.

"Hmph." Sakura sighed and looked away. "Alright." she said, leaning off the wall she was up against.

Tabenomaru relaxed and let out a breath she had somehow been holding in anticipation. "OK. We need to go quickly since they're most likely already suspicious. Here,"

She threw Sakura one of her kunai who caught it with her teeth and nodded in appreciation. She brought her hands up channeled her own chakra into the blade. When it glowed a light blue she sliced the rope, narrowly missing her own skin.

The sand ninja rummaged through her pouch for a moment before pulling out a small pill. "Eat this."

.x.x.x.x.

Three minutes later a dirty blond haired Akina exited the closet with a limp Sakura on her back. Tabenomaru flicked her head to the side to get Akina's annoying bangs out of her face.

"What took you so long?" Yukio challenged.

"She resisted so it prolonged the process." She replied in a serene tone, nodding over to Sakura's head that hung death-like over her shoulder. Hair covered her sweaty face. The wound to her side was, to their advantage, extremely visible- for it stained the white of her medic vest where it spread.

"But it's finished now, I'll go dispose of the body." She turned to leave.

"Akina." Yukio called sharply.

Tabenomaru cursed him silently, praying that Sakura stayed under the effects of the drug for just a while longer. Blood from the kunoichi's side hit the grounds in _plits_, making pools of warm blood on the floor. Akina turned around, trying her best to erase annoyance from her expression.

"Yes my lord?"

Yukio started at her cleverly, searching her face for a lie. There was something wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Noticing his doubt and the suspicious stares from the twins, she turned around again. "I will return right away master Yukio." She bent over slightly to balance Sakura on her back, then placed her hands together in another jutsu. Then she was gone, the girl as well.

Swirls of smoke replaced them before evaporating . The large room remained silent.

"Do we go after her?"Nikko questioned after the Mizukage did not speak. Nyoko looked at him for an answer as well. He thought about it for a moment.

"No."

"No?" Nyoko interjected right after. "How can we be sure that the girl is dead?"

"Calm down Nyoko. If not already then in good time, with that wound..." Yukio looked to the door bitterly, "she will be."

* * *

Tabenomaru ran towards the fountain that was not far from the Mizukage's quarters. Water was the easiest way to take someone from a deep unconsciousness.

Darkness still blanketed the village, cementing the rule of the cloudless night. The air was ice against her face, making her eyes water slightly from the speed.

Back in the building she had told Sakura she would help her escape by faking her death and carrying her body to freedom. Of course, more than that would fool the great Mizukage. After taking the pill Tabenomaru gave her, she slumped down to the floor, its effects taking immediate action. She had about six minutes maximum until Sakura was capable of waking up again. The Jounin had ran her hand inches above Sakura's body to place a death like illusion over it. Sakura's skin paled.

_This should be enough, _Tabenomaru thought.

A growing pit of uncertainty sat in her stomach. Had it worked? Was he convinced? She quickened her pace at the next question that surfaced in her racing mind. Or was she being followed already...

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke felt a strange energy coming towards him as he ran towards the office. If he kept like he was he would definitely encounter it. He decided for it when he sensed another presence as well. Their power was dim.

_Most likely injured_, he thought.

A part of him hoping it wasn't her, and another part praying he had finally come across his teammate Sasuke swiftly darted into the tree's when the figure approached the fountain.

A limp and pale Sakura was over her shoulder.

Sasuke forced himself not to give away his position by attacking out of sheer anger. Even in the moonlight, his enemy was unmistakable and he immediately identified her as one of the Mizukage's body guards from the meeting earlier on.

She had seemed vaguely familiar...he had briefly thought the same thing at their encounter that afternoon.

He watched , confused why she would stop at the fountain. He refused to believe Sakura was dead. But if she wasn't...

Was she planning on drowning the girl?

x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru slowed down as she approached her destination. She gently took Sakura from her back and tried to sit her up upright against the fountains rough edge. Her head swung down limply.

The Jounin's mind was clearly elsewhere ,thinking over the consequences of returning to her homeland. Was it a wise decision for the sake of the mission or a cowards way out?

She mechanically dipped her hand in the fountain, ruining the reflection of moonlight on the once still surface. It didn't matter, she would be foolish to risk going back to Yukio as Akina.

She knelt down, slowly coming out of her distraught state to concentrate on what was happening now. Tabenomaru frowned, eyes venturing to Sakura's wound. The color was slowly returning to the girl but her side...it was pretty bad.

Then she froze, her wet hand meters away from Sakura's face.

She could feel someone there- eyes boring into her from the shadows with a bone chilling murderous intent. So she was followed? Tabenomaru hesitated before patting her wet hands on Sakura's cheeks and forehead, tilting her head up with a slim tanned finger. She contemplated what to do about the unexpected visitor while she lifted Sakura to sit on the cement rim when she did not stir. To get her face more water on it she would have to bring it closer to the fountain.

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke saw her short hesitation. She had sensed him but it bewildered him further why she just chose to ignore it. Or was she already conjuring up a strategy? He watched while she hoisted Sakura's slender form to the edge of the stone fountain.

_What is she...!_

She turned Sakura's body over and was about to put her in the water when a cold but calm voice came from behind her shoulder.

"Harm her and I'll kill you."

x.x.x.x.

Sasuke stood only a short distance from her back. Her face hardened but she wasn't surprised.

_Of course, _she thought, _ one of her team mates._

In a quick move she had the girl lying flat on the ground in front of her, crouched behind her body much farther away from him. Great, the last thing she needed was a fight.

"I was just trying to wake her.", tried Tabenomaru, watching his face for any signs of backing down. She tensed when he smirked.

"Don't lie, I remember who you are." he answered keenly, his voice clear over the soft trickling of water from the fountain.

She exhaled softly, tired of always getting caught in these kinds of situations.

"Actually," Sasuke continued to her dismay. "now that I think of it, I believe I've seen you before...Akina was it?" He spat out her name.

Images of the blond haired Jounin's green eyes widening in fear as she ducked behind some bushes back at the Konoha border, surfaced in his mind.

He remembered.

And the more he thought about it, he was sure she was one of the assassins who attacked him back in Konoha almost four years ago. He recalled the annoyance he felt after sensing her. It wasn't the first time he'd been followed since he had left the village but after he felt the strong chakra emanating from the tree's of at least seven more he inwardly panicked. He shouldn't have left alone. He was only sixteen then- a boy in his eyes- but that seemed to be meaningless to them.

"How do you know my name?" Tabenomaru humored him. She focused on the vengeful look in Sasuke's eyes.

"You _must_ remember." Sasuke mocked. "but I wouldn't waste my breath on trash like yourself." He put his hands up in front of him in a battle stance, letting his back foot create dust as it slid backwards for perfect balance.

Tabenomaru felt the sickening sense of alarm well in her. He was serious, but...she had never seen him before that day, Could it be possible that Akina...

"You can take her. She is still alive." She stood and backed away from the body. It was her last resort.

This caught Sasuke off guard but it clearly didn't show in his expression. She watched as he slowly put his hands down and after eying Akina suspiciously, he approached the body.

The first thing he noticed was Sakura's waist glistening in the weak light. He knelt down beside her, reached out and touched the wound.

Sasuke's usual calm face was now darkened with scorn. He may have appeared to be together on the outside but inside he was screaming. Right now, here, in the light of the watery silver moon she looked dead with the dirt on her face and the same red blood that stained her chalky top on her cheek.

_'This must be what it felt like for her and Naruto...'_ He thought, resisting the urge to brush back the strands of matted pink hair from her pale face. Sasuke was in fact, feeling the same sense of dread that overwhelmed Sakura when she ran to his wasted body after his battle with Haku. Tears bridged the corners if her jade eyes when falling upon the trail of blood down his mouth and the acupuncture sticks that pierced his legs and neck.

Sakura's clothes were soaked in her own thick blood.

Tabenomaru silently cursed herself. How was she supposed to explain that one? Tell him someone else did it?

Sasuke's black eyes wandered to her neck. _If this woman is dead..._

His fingers checked her pulse, pressing skillfully to the crook of her neck. He relaxed slightly with relief._ Unconscious. _He thought, not wanting to imagine how. Sasuke hoped it wasn't from loss of blood. If so, he was short on time.

He glanced to where she had been anchored yo before when Tabenomaru moved her to the fountain. A small puddle of red, he hadn't noticed before, surrounded by scattered crimson drops stained the stone where she once sat. He stood and looked over to Akina with an unreadable expression. There was a short silence.

"So, are you satisfied?" Tabenomaru asked, hesitantly.

Sasuke averted his gaze to the limp figure before him. He paused, looking back up to her.

"No, not really." Before Tabenomaru had time to fully comprehend what Sasuke was doing, he was coming towards her at an alarming pace, jumping over his team mates body. Eyes, newly sharingan, he whipped out a kunai while running. He jumped at made a swift stab at her, Tabenomaru narrowly moved from the path of each one of the short swipes he made at her. He was so quick it was making her dizzy so she back flipped into safety.

On all fours, crouching, panting under the night sky '_he's fast'_ crossed her mind. Sasuke waisted no time in putting his hands together in numerous seals- the sequence for his fire jutsu.

Tabenomaru's heartbeat quickened. She didn't want to hurt him but...he was coming with a clear intent to kill her. _ 'No...thats-!'_

"Katon: Gokakyuu no jutsu!"

A large flame spread in her direction with Sasuke's deadly exhale. She would be incinerated if she didn't think fast. Staying crouched she kept on hand up in front of her chest, middle and index finger facing the sky and slammed the other hand palm down.

Fire met a rising wall of sand with a deafening crash that lit up the small clearing.

The heat was so intense it solidified the small rocks into a smoldering glass, that after a moment became over heated and shattered into countless pieces.

Tabenomaru jumped back, trying to evade the daggers of glass and pieces of steaming rock that flew violently from the collision. Each shard made small craters in the dirt while the light of the fire dimmed and the debris showered down on them.

Sasuke rolled from the stray fragments of the tumbling wall. He darted over to Sakura, giving her helpless body cover as well.

The sand ninja was distracted for a moment when glass slit her arm before digging into the ground behind her. She winced in pain from the heat but in that second a ball of rock smacked her in the side of the head. _Uhn!_

She cried out in pain spinning from impact upon falling onto her side. The last bit of rocks landed around her while blood trickled down the side of her face. Sasuke removed his arm from over his head when it quieted down. His expression had changed from the aggressive one he held before. After bringing out his sharingan he _saw_ something. An illusionary technique...but why...

His eyes sought out Akina but found someone's still corpse collapsed across the fountain. After a quick glance at Sakura he approached the body, his features unreadable.

This wasn't Akina but the same aura of chakra came from the girl before him. Steam swirled up from the stones around her.

Tabenomaru furrowed her brow, turning her head over, struggling to hold onto consciousness.

_'Damnit...who would have thought someone like me would let herself get a direct hit to the temple. I should have killed this Uchiha boy right after he challenged me!' _She grunted, attempting to sit up.

Sasuke involuntarily stepped back when she gasped and lunged forwards, hunching over, her black locks flying across her shoulders. The discomfort was evident on her face.

It pained her to look up but tried anyway; her vision was slightly blurry. She had let down her jutsu seconds before she hit the ground in case this boy would try to finish her off. Usually, Tabenomaru would never let down her disguise outside- it jeopardized everything she had worked so hard to accomplish. She wished she could say Gaara would be furious with her if she messed this up but knowing the Kazekage well she knew that he wouldn't want her to risk being killed by a mix-up.

_Gaara... _A wave of pain washed over her body and she fell back again after a small glimpse of Sasuke's dark figure. Then she became fairly still, only shifting every now and then.

_Perhaps she'll die- _Sasuke thought watching as her blood poured down her ear onto the dirt. Whoever this girl was...a hit to the temple could be fatal no matter how skilled a ninja you are.

Sasuke brushed these thoughts off. It didn't matter. His eyes fell onto the girls strange markings on the sliver of her tanned stomach revealed by the way her top fell. He watched, half concerned, half curious as she tried to regain her consciousness. The skin around her arm reddened and the wound bled profusely. Did he kill her?

His head shot up and he shifted towards the source of the whisper behind him.

"Sasuke..." Sakura's voice was small, and she couldn't help but let it crack half way through his name. He ran back to her side, her tone reminding him of the day he left...

Sakura blinked at Sasuke, trying to wake herself up. _Why am I outside..._

Memories flooded back to her in an exciting rush. After a moment, a weak smile spread across her tired face.

He had found her,

Sasuke stared expectantly at her. He resisted the urge to shake her and demand what the hell was going on.

She tried to sit up but cringed in pain, her hand flying to her bloody side. She felt a warm goo ooze between her fingers. It was getting worse.

"Dijoubu desu ka?" He questioned, looking at her through worried eyes even though his voice sounded as if he was in a rush to get that question out of the way.

"Hai...I think so... It's just one of the Jounin sliced my side." She grabbed her head feeling a new pain. She swear she would die if she was rendered unconscious for a third time.

'_Why did she do that...'_

"Thank-you." Sakura breathed sincerely, looking up from her lap.

Sasuke nodded in response, unable to think of anything that wouldn't sound ridiculous to say. He stood, holding out a hesitant hand to her so he could help her up. She was overwhelmed with dizziness after standing and fell into Sasuke who slipped his hand behind her back to steady her. "Sakura..." He whispered sternly. '_I knew she wasn't alright.' _"We need to get you to medic." He kept his arm around her in fear she would fall again.

She pushed herself up by putting her hands on his chest. "I am a medic." she stated, hating this helpless feeling. It was as if she was twelve again. "I can handle it. My hands aren't bound now, it will be simple to heal something of this caliber."

She pulled out of his grasp, summoning a healing chakra to her hands.

"Sakura, don't push yourself in that condition, you might-"

She let the familiar tingling sensation wrap around her fingers, drowning out Sasuke's voice. Just a little bit more...

"Hn-" Sakura fell to her knees. She heard her him call her name.

_What the hell was happening..what's wrong with my chakra? I can't...do those pills Tabenomaru-san gave me have anything to do with this? Wait. Where is she?_...and then she noticed it. Her eyes widened at the glass and rock scattered awkwardly over the barren ground.

"Sasuke...you...you didn't-" Sakura stumbled towards Tabenomaru who was beginning to get a hold of herself. She was pissed off now. If that Sasuke wanted to come back for more she wouldn't hold back. She felt someone fall beside her.

'_Damnit, move you stupid body!'_

"This girl..." Sasuke said walking up to stand behind the Sakura. "she took the identity of the Jounin Akina." He watched Sakura carefully for any signs of recognition or surprise.

"Yes... she is the one who helped me escape." Sakura gently shook Tabenomaru's arm who slowly sat up. "Sakura-san." She muttered, as her vision returned fully to her. She looked behind her to Sasuke and hoped back in alarm. Sakura jerked her hand away at her sudden movement. Tabenomaru stood after Sakura did. Her head pounded but that was nothing compared to what Sakura was feeling. She clutched at her arm.

"Gomen nasai Tabenomaru-san." Sakura apologized immediately before the other girl became on the defensive again, already guessing what went on between Sasuke and her. Sakura couldn't really blame him though. Under the circumstances the conflict was inevitable.

Sasuke stepped in front of Sakura who tried to not show her struggle to stay alert. "Who are you?" He wanted answers.

Now.

She straightened. "Tabenomaru of Sunagakure no sato. She answered dryly and gave a cautious bow. "And who are you? What real business does the Leaf have in Kimigakure?"She demanded. Her tone unnerved Sasuke even though he had used the same one when questioning her.

"Why don't you tell me what a sand shinobi would be doing here?" Sasuke retorted smoothly.

"Hmph." _So he's stubborn _"I guess its common courtesy." She watched as Sakura staggered into a standing position behind him. "I was sent here on a official investigation, and yourselves?"

"Same for us." Sakura's voice came from behind Sasuke who didn't care to turn around.

Tabenomaru paused for a moment taking this in. respecting the privacy of an investigation she didn't bother asking what for. She just had to rely on the information she had gathered earlier about them here for Ishimaru. '_Ishimaru...'_ she thought suddenly. "And what of the man you took with you?" She sounded the least bit concerned for his safety, just curious.

"He's dead," Sasuke smirked, raising an eyebrow, "we thought you killed him."

_Thought so_

"Iie." Sakura whispered. "There are two others. They did it-not her." Sasuke turned back to Sakura to ask their names or anything else she would remember but stopped. He got a good look at her. Sakura appeared so tired and spent while she clutched onto her blood stained waist. She was wobbly with an uncontrollable dizziness. She felt as if she would perhaps vomit? But her stomach was completely empty. Her mouth was dry and her throat felt constricted. Her whole body ached.

_This is nothing, _she thought_, I've been training to function under circumstances like this...but still...if I could heal some of my minor wounds..._

Sasuke looked away from her. Babying her wouldn't help a thing, but he could see that the more she moved the more she increased the blood flow. Even with a will like hers she won't be able to stand for much longer.

"Have you tried to heal yourself yet?" Tabenomaru spoke.

"Hn-" This caught both of them off guard.

"Don't. You will just weaken your body further."

"It's from that pill you gave me in the government building, wasn't it?"

She nodded. "You wont be able to mold any chakra perfectly until all traces of the med is gone from your body. It should be about a day or two before it all dissolves. The effects of the pill are to make the one who takes it seem completely deceased for around six minutes. In order to do that effectively the pigmentation of the skin needs to be changed, along with the users chakra completely masked. It has an intense effect on your chakra circulatory system, this being why it's hard to summon it in your state. The pill is a nice trick but more like a double-edged sword if you ask me. Say you don't make it out of the enemy's hideout before the time is up- you won't have any control over your chakra to defend yourself further."

"So it seems." Sasuke nodded back to Sakura. Her head was lowered, keeping her face out of view. "In that case, I need to get her back to the island for help." He was well above awkwardness and had no intention of apologizing to this fellow shinobi. Actually, it never even crossed his mind.

Tabenomaru flicked a strand of hair from her sun kissed face. "And _I_ need to return to Suna." She glanced back in the direction of the Mizukage's quarters,

"I think I've done enough." She whispered to herself.

Sasuke nodded, "I'm sure we will be meeting again."

"Yes." Tabenomaru agreed with the same canny demeanor as the Jounin before her.

'Thank-you." Sakura voiced, "I would have been killed if you hadn't intervened."

Tabenomaru smiled, making her seem even more beautiful and mysterious. "Do itashi mashite." She curtly bowed to them both before turning and disappearing into the night.

-

Sasuke urgently turned to Sakura who returned his gaze wearily. Despite the situation they were in he couldn't help but feel sort of foolish for what he would say next. He turned around and eyed the ground beside him, watching Sakura from the corner of his eye. "Get on my back, we're returning to Konoha. Naruto is meeting us on another island with reinforcements." She was to tired to object and climbed onto his back, letting his strong arms carry her to the shoreline. He was warm, a sharp contrast to the cold night. Or was it just her that was starting to feel deathly cold?

"Sasuke..." She started as he stared straight ahead, walking along the sand towards the boat. "are you sure about this... I can walk. I mean...there's blood on your shirt."

He kept walking. "If you move to much you'll make it worse. Just...just go to sleep."

"Alright."

In minutes she was asleep, nestled unto his shirt, her breathing, as ragged as some of her breaths were, even again.

The night was departing, the sky turning a shade of a darker blue instead of its normal deep black. Sasuke struggled to concentrate on only safely bringing them back to the surrounding island before their deadline instead of the steady breaths of the injured kunoichi on his tense back.

This was getting out of hand, but...could there possibly be more?

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

Hey! Did you like? Yay? Ne? Thanks for reading but uhm, that took really long. Why? Cause there are thousands of hits (not just on the first chapter- that doesn't even count) and 16 reviews. Where do you expect me to get motivation to finish this...! Help me out here. I love constructive criticism! ANYTHING.

-AUTUMN FORTRESS

p.s. First chapter or San Wan Sushi (Overtime 2) up sooooon! ALRITE


	7. The avenger

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**WARNING: **Fluffy chapter & a little Graphic

_Doumo;sorry(shortest way to say it)_

* * *

**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter six_

-THE AVENGER-

* * *

The boat rocked back and forth with the black waves. Trees spiraled up from out of the water, their branches shaking in the hoarse wind as multicolored leaves rustled noisily. They hunched over, painting vague pictures of themselves in the unsettling water. 

Sasuke stopped in front of the boat. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore Sakura's face pressing gently into his neck, and with each of her soft exhales he could feel the small hairs on the back of his neck rise and fall in response. Her hands clung lightly to his shoulder and he felt a dim tingle run down his spine.

This frustrated him. The only time he could ever remember himself shiver was in fear.

_'With Zabuza.' _Sasuke's thoughts trailed back to years and years ago. To his family.

_And..._

Walking down the deserted streets of the Uchiha residence as a child, he could remember that sense of dread. That knot of fear in the pit of his stomach after seeing the bloodstained walls of where he once called home turn a sick gray under the merciless moon. That night he had shivered in fear, In helplessness.

But now, strangely to him- it was different.

"Sakura..." Sasuke whispered, softly, needing her to wake up so she could help him in getting herself inside the boat.

No response.

"Sakura." He repeated, slightly louder. She stirred. He felt her shift behind him and the hand on his shoulder tighten its grip as she woke. Her lips brushed against his neck and shoulder when she turned her head over, opening her tired eyes. He wanted so badly to get her off of him so he could stop this.

"Yeah?" She whispered from behind him, not bothering to move her cheek from his back.

"We're here and I don't think I can put you in the boat without dropping you."

She looked to the water. He was right, the boat was pretty low. "Oh, right." She slid off of him to feel the sharp pain in her side again that was becoming sickeningly familiar. She kept hes hands on his shoulders for balance.

Sasuke straightened when she finally let go. He silently chastised the part of him that missed the inviting warmth of her body. Turing around, he noticed the blood on her waist was dry and he could see black fabric underneath her severed vest. He was no medic but knew any jolty movements and it would re-open again.

Without a word he put her arm over his shoulder and then slid a hand around her waist to support her into a standing position. She initially felt shock but soon let him guide her over to the boat that he had pulled up onto the shores rocks. He sat her down on one of the wooden benches inside before getting out to push the boat onto the water again.

Sakura watched him do this with such ease it made her lips curve into a small smile. He had always been so good at everything...so successful. His black eyes purposefully avoided her stare when he hopped in a few feet in front of her. Both were silent as they floated out further from land in the light of the fading evening. Sasuke grabbed an oar from behind him and began to steer the boat further out.

Sakura had never felt more useless. She seemed to always be the one getting hurt and having Naruto and Sasuke come save her. _If it wasn't for those two_, she thought, feeling almost pathetic, _I wouldn't be here. _The truth of her thoughts almost stung as bad as her wound.

"Doumo Sasuke," she whispered her words sounding meaningless as she bowed her head in shame. "I owe you an apology."

This caught Sasuke way off guard. "For what?" This question pertained to both of her last statements. He kept his eyes on some point above her shoulder.

"For...for coming back. You could have been hurt returning for me and..." she paused feeling a swell of guilt, "I put the the mission, and more importantly, the team in danger when I allowed myself to be captured." Sakura repressed a shudder, recalling the faces of those twins. Nyoko's eyes...that lust for murder.

"It's not your fault," Sasuke said plainly, trying to brush it off. "But do you know what they were trying to accomplish by taking you captive?" He didn't want to stress her more but it was killing him. This time he looked directly at her, feeling his own strange guilt at the way her hair slung over her lowered face, casting shadows over her eyes. He snapped out of it when she brought a hand up to wipe the dried blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Hai...", she answered, "they said I was a witness."

"They?" Sasuke interrupted.

"Yes, there were two of them..." Sakura recalled, "twins actually." she finished shakily. His eyes widened slightly.

"You don't mean..."

"I believe so. It was the two Jounin with the Mizukage. He definitely knew about it but no one was supposed to see Ishimaru killed."

_'But why would-'_ Sasuke inwardly ran over the possibilities. None of them justified what the twins had done to her. He remained silent as his thoughts returned to Sakura. He stopped rowing and let the force of his previous strokes carry them across the water. _'No wonder they could take her...two elite against one chunnin...' _He pushed the thought from his mind, not wanting to think about how it would have turned if she was killed. Tsunade would have flipped.

"They slit his throat." Sakura murmured. If he wasn't so close to her he probably would have missed it. Her voice sounded so pained and distant Sasuke had to pause for a moment. He wished Sakura hadn't seen something like that. Witnessed such a quick but bloody kill. He had always seen her as so innocent but after the first death she'd seen, Sakura's eyes seemed to always hold a small dimness to them. As if...as if she had grown stronger somehow by paying the price of her innocence. No-ignorance .

Perhaps it was just him who noticed but either way he had to leave her be- she was nine-teen now.

It had been so long since he had done group missions and Sasuke wasn't used to the extra weight on his shoulders. He felt obligated to protect and watch out for both Sakura and Naruto. If only he had gotten there sooner, then may be Sakura wouldn't be...

He focused his attention back on her and was surprised to find her already looking up at him. They stayed like that for a moment, too short to be significant yet long enough to make her think. Sakura tried to read his eyes, supposedly the gateway to the soul, if this was true, his were closed for she saw nothing but his usual coldness.

She looked away, embarrassed. Was the darkness making her mad because she could have sworn she saw a flicker of sympathy in his coal eyes.

Sakura shivered being drawn back to how freezing she felt. Nyoko's kunai had slashed straight through her clothes and gone about an inch and a half through her bare skin. She could almost feel the cool blade cut her again, its cold metal glinting off of the dim firelight. Her wound was leaving her exposed to the same wind that sent waves of deep blue crashing against the side of their boat. She bit her lip and shook quietly again as another chill ran down her spine. Sakura turned when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke move.

He reached behind him and removed the lid from a storage box in the rear of the boat. After shuffling around he pulled out a small blanket and a white first-aid kit. Sasuke handed Sakura the blanket after placing the kit next to him.

"Thanks." She said, gladly accepting it.

He didn't respond when he picked up the wooden oars and started out again.

- - -

The air was dense and the chill and growing outline of clouds in the sky whispered warnings of morning rain. Sakura pulled the soft fabric closer around her, shielding out the wind. She blinked hard..._how much longer can I last like this?_

"I'll check your wounds when we arrive on land.", he felt the need to clarify his motives, "If it's not cleaned out you run the rick of infection. I'm sure you're well aware of that."

Sakura thought it kind of comical that Sasuke would be the one checking on _her. _After all, she was the medic but he was definitely right. "Mhm." She finally answered forcing herself to tear her eyes away from his face. What was this feeling again? This sickening dizziness and rush of utter confusion. Sakura clenched the blanket in silent frustration. Almost all hopes of him ever loving her were crushed when he left Konoha seven years ago. '_Nothing has changed.'_

'_Why does he always push me away..._' she would think to herself, wiping her tear stained cheeks after being told off again as a young genin. Even now she still pondered the same taunting question.

Was he afraid because everything he ever loved was so brutally taken away from him? Did he fear that all his chances at a peaceful life were some twisted illusion...

She looked back to Sasuke who was staring down into the rippling water beside him, an unreadable expression on his delicate face.

Or was his hatred and utter rejection for her alone?

--

It troubled him, for an avenger had no time for petty feelings. Or so he told himself, but the more he was with her, the more he felt his goals and life long determination slipping from him, seeming less important next to the devoted girl before him. _'She'd always been there,_' he thought, eyes concentrating on the rough white crests of the ocean. He just never noticed how much before now.

_'Though after...'_

His face showed no signs of his inner conflict,

_'There was always...'_

That disgusting voice that haunted his every thought of happiness and marked any suggestions he ever had of being with her as foolish. Uchiha's hated what they couldn't understand, Itachi being a prime example. His words had stung Sasuke's mind and crept through his young and vulnerable heart tainting it- guarding it with ice. Since that day Sasuke has only wanted one thing- revenge. And at twenty years old he was failing at that as well.

--

A light rain fell now, dampening the ground with it's mist. Sasuke got out when the boat couldn't move up on land any further and he heard the rocks scraping against the wood beneath the water. After pulling it half way on shore he extended a hand to Sakura when she walked towards the bow. She shook her head and mumbled 'I got it' , not entirely sure why.

Sakura watched awkwardly as he pulled everything from the boat and lay out another blanket beneath a large tree.

"I need you to lie down." She heard him say. She was standing in the rain.

Sakura did what he said, bending back carefully so she didn't stretch the skin on her wound.

"I'm just going to clean it and bandage it okay? It will have to do until we can get you to a hospital." he said, stopping for a moment to look closely at her. Sakura knew that already but he must have sensed her uneasiness.

"Kay.", she whispered to him as he bent over her. Satisfied, Sasuke's face left her view again and he opened the kit beside him. He took out gauze and disinfectant.

Now, this was all quite strange for Sasuke since he rarely had to bandage other people. He was used to helping himself and was professional in hurting others, not aiding in healing them.

"Could you take off your vest." He said as calmly as he could. She nodded looking away to avoid the odd embarrassment. What was the big deal?

After putting it to the side he rolled up her shirt so her waits was in clear view. Sakura winced as the fabric was torn away, not wanting to look at it. She felt the pull on her skin as the material was unglued from her by the dry blood and she could tell it wasn't okay by the way Sasuke looked at it.

A deep red gash contrasted with her pale skin. It ran from a few inches away from her belly button slightly diagonal to some of her hip. Her skin curved inwards at the sides of the wound and different layers of tissue were visible through the centimeter wide space.

This ran dangerously deep.

Sasuke had seen countless bodies in his lifetime; some just lay there helpless and fatally wounded while others he'd been assigned to finish off himself. After seeing his family slaughtered, nothing could be more horrifying to him and he appeared to never be phased, even by the most serious of injuries. Though...seeing it on her...it made his stomach churn.

He pulled out a clean cloth from his bag along with an unopened water bottle. Behind him, so not to splash Sakura, he wet the cloth and wrung it out.

Sasuke thought it best to begin with something simple like her face first. He wiped the cloth as gently as he could against her cheeks and forehead, getting red of the dirt and blood that rested there.

"Do you have any pain killers?" He asked quietly after removing the cloth from her damp face.

"Yeah. In the front pocket of my bag." she said a bit worried. The disinfectant was the worst part.

_Damnit..., _she cursed silently. Without her chakra there was no way to heal herself and draw the bacteria out.

Before she knew it Sasuke had her head lifted up with one hand and dropped the pills into her mouth. Sakura watched his distant eyes curiously. Bringing the water bottle to her lips he lifted her head up further and slightly tilted the bottle. "Swallow," he told her in a low voice. When he put her head back down he placed his cloak underneath it so her head wasn't on such a flat surface. Trying to make her as comfortable as possible he took the other blanket and draped it over half of her, leaving her wound exposed. He then used the second blanket to put over that one, keeping her warm for the quickening rain and wind were against them.

Sakura was already feeling better than she was before. Her trembling had died down and the cold seemed less provoking._ It's almost like he's done this before..._

Stray drops of rain snuck past the dense branches of the tree above them as she felt the pain slowly dull away from the medication and the muscles in her arms and legs relax a bit. Her coughing had seized but her chakra still remained abnormally low and out of whack.

Sakura repressed her anxiety about the disinfectant. She recalled the horrid sting of it on a minor scrape or cut but this gash was so dangerously large she could almost imagine the feeling of teeth clenching discomfort. She held her breath while Sasuke screwed the cap off and carelessly tossed the white lid to the soil but...he put the bottle down, looking to the side as if he was contemplating something. He glanced at her nervous eyes before reaching behind him and pulling a hand towel from Naruto's bag.

"Bite down on this if it hurts," he said bending over her to put some of the towel in between her teeth. She nodded, eyebrows furrowed in worry. She wasn't sure if she was feeling faint from loss of blood or paranoia.

"it might sting." he added calmly even though he was positive it would. Sakura watched his hand move painfully slow towards her waist and then stop above it. He hated to do it but eventually it would have to be done and it was a cruel taunt keeping it poised above her like this. Thinking that the cloth maybe wasn't enough for her to squeeze, he slid his hand over her right one and curved his fingers in to gently grip hers.

Right when she tore her surprised eyes from the bottle he poured the clear liquid over the wound with his other hand. She gasped and shut her eyes tightly as she felt the fluid flow over her side and soak into the blanket beneath her. Sakura bit down hard on the cloth with her teeth, ripping through the material wile she felt as if thousands of stinging needles were piercing through her waist and moving deep towards her trembling core. She pushed her head back into his cloak, turning it restlessly while clenching Sasuke's hand so tight her fingertips grew as white as her knuckles.

The sting was unbearable.

After a moment the pain died down and she slowly loosened her grip on Sasuke. Her breaths were shaky and uneven as she opened her eyes to meet familiar black ones. She couldn't help but be pissed at Tabenomaru right now.

She took a deep breath.

"You gonna be alright?", he whispered, a little breathless himself after seeing her like that.

"Mmn.", she nodded her head trying to smile, his hands still clung lightly to hers. He gave it a small squeeze of reassurance before taking it away. He took the cloth from her mouth and patted the wound dry. There were many small bubbles around the cut. Good, that meant it was clean.

* * *

He sighed quietly to himself after everything was finished. Sakura sat beside him, leaned up against the tree watching the small drops of the last bit of rain roll of the edges of the auburn leaves. They wrapped themselves in the two blankets left, Sakura's arm resting over her bandaged stomach protectively. 

All there was left to do was wait for Naruto to return.

---

Sakura sat in their comfortable silence with so much on her mind. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed by all the things she'd gone through in the past day. The fear she felt when Nikko and Nyoko had approached her...when Tabenomaru had entered the room as Akina with orders to kill her...when she started to finally think that maybe, maybe, no one was coming for her, that they would leave her there.

She hugged her knees trying to block out the wind along with her hurricane of feelings. Sakura felt stupid when she sensed the prickling behind her eyes. Why should she cry? She was okay now. But...she wasn't like Sasuke. Keeping her feelings in for too long and it would suffocate her. She blinked a few times and willed herself to get it together. It was time she proved even to herself she had indeed grown stronger.

The medic let her head fall to brush her chin against her knees, moving her hands to the sides of her she raked the ground with her fingers, frustrated by her weakness. Why couldn't she be like Sasuke or Naruto? They both were so strong and had the courage for anything. With clenched fists she quietly cursed the two that did this to her. Next time she would make them pay.

- - -

Sasuke sat with one knee up and the other straight on the ground next to Sakura. He was brought from his dark thoughts when he saw her head fall to her knees out of the corner of his eye. She was so confusing, he couldn't understand what would upset her now.

The Uchiha kept his gaze straight ahead, watching the sky grow lighter though he had little interest in the scenery right now.

_'It...' , _he heard Sakura sigh in frustration from beside him _'It must have been hard for her.' _

They watched the sun poke up in the far east and knew Naruto would be returning shortly. How long had they been waiting there for? Twenty minutes? Two hours? More?

He was restless. It was killing him to sit still while something terrible was going on not far from where they were right then.

_'Could it really have been the Mizukage...betraying his own country?' _Sasuke drummed his fingers against his knee impatiently. Perhaps he would encounter the ones who kidnapped his comrade- his friend.

_- - - _

Sasuke had been temporarily disappointed by Naruto's 'reinforcements' or 'reinforce_ment._'

"Wow..." Kakashi said, looking Sakura and Sasuke up and down, "you two look like you've really been through the wringer." _Maybe I shouldn't have let them go alone..._

This really wasn't what he was searching for when he asked for back-up but...Kakashi would do.

"Yeah..." answered Sakura, embarrassed.

Naruto looked really excited to see her. And then his eyes fell to her bandage. "Sakura... What happened? Who did that to you?"

She looked away.

"She's hurt. We need to get her to a hospital so they can properly tend to the wound. Tsunade should take a look at it." Sasuke said quietly, briefly glancing at Sakura.

"Hn." Naruto shook his head. This was his fault wasn't it.

"Thank-you Sasuke." Kakashi said, he turned, "Sakura, do you think you can make it to the next village?"

"Of course.", she said sincerely. No way was she holding anyone back. "I know I can make it back to Konoha."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at her quizzically but Sasuke understood. Like usual, Naruto didn't, "What? You sure?"

"Yes." She answered, smiling best she could.

Naruto looked to her bandages again and then he thought, 'Wait...did Sasuke...bandage her?' He took a quick glance at the Uchiha who was staring coldly at some unknown point between himself and Kakashi. 'Nah...' Naruto brushed the ridiculous thought off. He doubted Sasuke even knew _how _to dress a wound.

"Well then quickly. You can debrief me as we move." Kakashi looked at the two Jounin and medic before him with a new found determination. "We leave now."

* * *

_-End chapter six-_

* * *

Sorry about the wait I've been kinda buy ( and unmotivated, lazy...ect...) 

Anyways, reviewers, you know what to DO! Give me some feedback! I know, nothing really happend in this chapter but what of the ones before it? Whudda you think will happen?

NEXT CHAPTER: **The meeting of the Kage**

**-**autumn fortress


	8. The meeting of the Kage

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

_**Arigatou;thank-you;Do itashi mashite; you're welcome **_

* * *

**The Hush of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter seven_

-THE MEETING OF THE KAGE-

* * *

Sakura woke to a white ceiling that was darkened by the lack of light in the hospital room. The black night clawed at the window by her bed, its shadow evened out by the lamp that stood on a small wooden stand next to her. 

Blinking a few times, she let the memories of the day come flooding back to her in a rush of pain and excitement. Sakura tore her blank lime eyes from the ceiling to look out the foggy window. She winced, feeling a strain in her neck indicating she had been sleeping for a while.

The Haruno was too out of it to show surprise when she heard well paced footsteps approaching from behind her. She turned to see Sasuke who had stopped beside the hospital bed. He ran his charcoal eyes over her splayed pink hair on the pillow, then to her freshly bandaged side and frowned.

"Does it hurt?" He asked in a somewhat gruffy voice. It was simple to infer he hadn't had much sleep from the slightly darker circles beneath his eyes.

"Not really," she lied, turning her head back to the window. "How long have I been sleeping? I think they gave me too much medication.", she managed a small smile.

"It could have been worse."

He was right, she thought, her eyes clouding at the memory of what happened after returning to the hospital in Konoha.

**- - - **

Sakura inhaled deeply like the nurse had instructed her to after putting a transparent mask over her mouth and nose. Her eyes fluttered close on Tsunade leaving the room as the drowsiness kicked in, numbing the throbbing pain in her side.

Sasuke stood near the doorway with Kakashi, Naruto and a petite nurse in a modest snowy uniform.

"You are very lucky you brought her here when you did." she said, picking up her clipboard to press it to her chest. "If the wound had been any deeper..." The young woman continued, her voice softening. She looked sadly to Sakura. "It's good she didn't try to heal herself in that state either. Even as a medic, I'm surprised she remained conscious with such a large loss of blood."

"She's strong." Naruto assured her with a grin that held a hidden sadness. She returned the smirk with a nod. "She must be. Anyways, now that Tsunade-sama has healed the internal damage, the skin needs some time to take hold again. Just let her stay here for a while."

"Arigatou." Kakashi gave a curt nod.

"Do itashi mashite."she replied with a smile before leaving the room.

Sakura's head was beginning to pound from the strain of resistance. She wanted to hear more about the mission. Finally, she surrendered to the sleep welcoming her with open arms and fell blissfully unconscious.

Sasuke stopped leaning against the pale blue wall to follow Naruto and Kakashi out of the room but nearly bumped into Naruto when he stopped suddenly in the doorway.

"Sasuke." Kakashi said, turning around. Naruto stepped out from in between them.

"Yes.", he answered, trying not to sound irritated.

"I want you to stay here and watch Sakura until she wakes up."

Sasuke didn't have that much of a problem with staying but what of the mission report? "But there's nurses." He said, briefly looking back to the nurse on a stool beside Sakura's bed. She looked assuringly concentrated as she readied something in front of her.

"Yes, but the nurses have other patients and can't be here the whole time. She'll be needing reassurance when she come-to."

"I understand." Sasuke answered after a moment. "are you going to file a mission report now?"

"Hai, I'll have Naruto tell you how it goes right after."

"Sure." Naruto answered when Kakashi looked threateningly towards him.

"Alright, but what do I do while..." Sasuke trailed off, referring to Sakura's state.

"I'll call you when I'm finished."

Everyone turned to look at the nurse who had overheard their conversation.

"Thanks." Sasuke said, stepping out of the room with the other two.

She only 'mmhmm'ed as an answer.

"See you later Sasuke." Naruto mumbled once outside and began walking in the opposite direction as him along with Kakashi.

"Hmm." Sasuke didn't even bother to look back.

After an impatient stay in the waiting room Sasuke was led back to Sakura by the nurse. She smiled like she knew something he didn't before closing the door behind her, leaving him and his teammate alone.

He sighed and took a place on a chair in the corner. He looked around everywhere in the room except for the hospital bed. Finally, he cast a worried gaze to Sakura and his eyes immediately softened. She wore a pained expression on her usual happy face while she slept. Her playful features outlined in the light of her nightstand lamp.

Sasuke averted his eyes for his own sake to look out the window. The sun was just setting.

Shortly after Sasuke settled down with a magazine- that he was really to distracted by his thoughts to have his full attention on- Naruto came in. He quickly stood up to speak with him outside. The gas that had put Sakura to sleep had worn off long ago and she slept in earnest exhaustion.

Sasuke said nothing, certain this fool would start on his own, and he did. "Tsunade called a meeting of the Kage." Naruto said with restrained excitement. "Excluding the Mizukage of course." he continued.

Sasuke remained silent, though Naruto could see his surprise. "When?", he managed to let out.

"Two weeks from now. Kakashi-sama and I were gonna come back here to wait with you for Sakura but since we were both closest Tsunade assigned us as messengers..."

"And you have to go right away." Sasuke finished. He didn't say anything for a moment."Did she mention _why _there's going to be such a meeting?"

Naruto appeared dumbfounded. "You didn't think she would let something like the Mizukage's Jounin murdering our suspect and the kidnapping of her own apprentice skip, did you?"

"Hmph." he looked away.

"Well, we're leaving soon and I still have to pack so I'll see you when I get back from sand. Take good care of Sakura!" Naruto called behind him, already walking away.

"Yeah." Sasuke muttered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"By the way, " Naruto turned around, "the old woman wants us at the meeting too."

"Why?" Sasuke immediately regretted asking. Naruto was giving away explanations like candy and as much as Sasuke wanted to be there when the report was given- he wasn't.

"We _are _witnesses to the strange behavior, heh." He spun on his heel, "later."

"Whatever."Sasuke walked back into her room.

**- - - **

"You're right, it could have been worse."Sakura agreed nodding slightly.

"Hungry?" Sasuke asked innocently,eager to change the subject. He figured he should ask her anyway. She was awake, his job was almost over, but why not fill her in over some dinner?

"Um...yes actually." She admitted shyly.

"Be right back then.", and with that he turned and left the room.

After about five minutes he returned with two soups and a bottled water. He put the soup and drink on the stand next to her and helped Sakura sit up. She had to hold her breath while she did. Her side was in enough pain with her being so still. The skin there was still tender and her muscle tissue felt like it had been torn to pieces then reconstructed.

No wonder, it had been.

And then there was her unstable emotions. She was happy she was safe, yet terrified of what would come next, but still excited for the adventure. She was waiting to get back out there, yet dreading it at the same time.

Her train of thoughts went quietly on in her subconscious while Sasuke calmly explained the situation between sips of his miso soup. Sakura listened, stirring the tofu up in the thin broth while the chilly night droned on outside the dim hospital windows.

.x.x.x.x.

A week went by slow for Sakura but she had healed quickly. All that remained after eight days were a small scar and the growing hatred for the corrupted Jounin on Mist. With the rest of her time, Sakura trained. She pushed herself as hard as she would go, ignoring Tsunade's warnings. She wanted to be equal to Sasuke and Naruto. She wanted to be able to handle herself and still have energy to spare.

She went over the mistakes she made in battle in her mind. Failure was no longer an option since if there ever were to be a next time she could be certain that being rescued by an undercover Sand nin wasn't going to be likely.

The rest of the village waited in anticipation for the meeting of the four shadows.

And then it came.

.x.x.x.x.

It took three days travel to the village hidden in the sand where the meeting was ultimately held. Though Konoha had issued the meeting, Gaara had insisted it be in Sand. Due to the fact his brother was badly injured from one of his own missions and he worried to leave his side. At least until he had enough strength to move on his own again.

After arriving, each village quickly entered the government building to be ushered into grand oak seats around a large table in the meeting hall. For being so close to winter sand still felt just as hot and humid as the last time they'd been there.

Gaara, the Kazekage, was already seated when Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and the Godaime entered. Tsunade took note of the blond girl standing behind Gaara as she watched the other shadow take their places. Guards stood idly at the doors, reminding them of how official this was.

Naruto watched in hidden awe after they all had been seated. He still couldn't get over how intimidating the Kage appeared. Even Tsunade seemed to have an amplified aura of authority with her Hokage headdress on.

The fire shadow, the lightning shadow, the wind shadow and the earth shadow all in the same room made him the slightest bit antsy. Naruto was rumored to have no equal in strength as a shinobi...except for these four. They could kill him before he even realized he was in danger.

Tsunade explained the situation at a good pace with a serious expression on her face. At times she called on Naruto, Sasuke or Sakura to fill them in on important details. After she finished there was a heavy silence, her last words echoing through everyones head, challenging them, prodding at their pride.

"It all starts here. Who knows exactly what he's hiding or which one of us he will target next? Either we stick together or fall to war one by one."

"It's not just us we have to worry about," Gaara said quietly, "our countries. Our people. I had Tabenomaru sent to Mist immediately after Yukio was chosen to become Mizukage. Something wasn't right with the strange way Azamaki-sama had been acting. She knew something was wrong. And when he was assassinated...there had been rumors that Yukio had ties with Orochimaru not long ago. I didn't think much of it until now."

"But what proof do we have of this corruption other than a rumor and a few deaths? Honestly, how can we be so sure that those two just didn't like Ishimaru.", reminded the lightning shadow.

The earth added in wisely, "True, but it in any case, it appears quite obvious he does not want anyone meddling in his business and he is willing to go as far as kidnapping or maybe even killing whoever nears the answers to our questions."

"I say we send ninja back."

They turned to face Tabenomaru's fierce green eyes.

"It's the only way to get proof. Pardon me but you can discuss the matter all you like, it will not change what's happening there."

Some of their faces hardened and Gaara wondered if he should tell her to step down. He decided against it as she continued. Maybe they would see it now. "I saw it in his eyes, I heard it in his voice. He doesn't care for your countries, much less his own people. He will kill again and making up excuses for it every time will not benefit anyone but the murderer himself. If you want answers, you need to go out and look for them. They are not handed over to you on a platter."

It became silent again in the room. Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke were the slightest bit shocked at her boldness but the truth of her words agitated the lighting and earth shadows and they knew it. Tsunade seemed intrigued while the wind shadow seemed insulted.

"Hmm.", one of them said after a moment. "The girl is right."

"I agree, we send some back there."

"For the protection of our people." muttered the wind shadow, raising her head.

Gaara folded his hands together on the table,"But who will go?"

"We need shinobi we can trust since in the end it will be their word against his. That is if they even make it back to share." Mused the earth Kage.

"These three." Tsunade said without a second thought.

Sakura's heart caught in her throat. So maybe there would be a next time.

"They may be young but that just adds bravery and wit to their talent. If Mist really is involved with Azamaki-sama's murder then after this incident Konoha will most likely be targeted first. Why send Sand, Earth and Wind ninja on the possible behalf of the fire country."

"And can we trust them?" asked the earth shadow.

Naruto suppressed a scoff at the coldness in his voice.

"I trust these three with my life." Tsunade said earnestly.

Sakura smiled at her teacher and tried to look brave.

Naruto clenched his fists behind her in excitement. Those people would get what they deserved.

Sasuke watched the scene in mild interest. If he went he only wanted one thing- to make Nikko and Nyoko pay and he didn't care how he got it done.

After a bit of pondering Gaara of the sand spoke. "Alright, but on the condition that one of my best come along with you. Tabenomaru knows the land well and has gathered much information about the ninja and security there."

"I see no problem in that." The earth shadow nodded his head.

"If you play your cards right, this could work."

"No," Tsunade glanced to the three ninja behind her, "it _must _work."

.x.x.x.x.

Four days later on a cool night in Konohagakure, Sakura tidied up dinner in her cozy apartment. Naruto chatted with some other shinobi around her kitchen table. She had insisted that the others come over for a nice supper the night before their departure, since there was always the bleak possibility that it would be the old squad sevens last.

Ten-ten, Lee, Ino, Chouji and the infamous Nara Shikamaru were laughing hold heartedly at on of Naruto's jokes. Hinata blushed and shook her head in playful disapprovement while Neji sat there with a small smile, sipping sake in the strange elegant way he did everything else.

The apartment was nicely lit up and music played softly from the living room stereo. The atmosphere was a picture of peace.

Sasuke sat on a stool, staring into his sake cup, absentmindedly spinning it on the counter. He had long ago blocked out the chattering voices of his friends behind him. He felt some unexplainable need to think about something. About anything. One slip up tomorrow meant certain death . How did Nyoko know Sakura? How had Yukio been connected to Orochimaru in the past? Did he kill Azamaki only for the sake of being head ninja? Could this start a war between the countries...

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, are you alright?"Sakura's soft voice broke through his numb exterior.

"Huh? Yeah. Just a bit tired. I'm going to go get some fresh air." Sasuke responded, standing. He graced her with a polite nod and then walked past the group out onto the balcony, sliding the glass door shut behind him.

Sakura stared at the door for a moment with concern in her eyes, then dried her hands on the tea towel she was holding and sat down next to Naruto.

Outside the air had a refreshing chill to it. The voices and music sounded muffled, drowning in the thick glass panels. Sasuke leaned forward against the railing and looked out onto the city. The light from the evening lanterns lit the streets and scattered people in the shops below.

He exhaled loudly, running his fingers through his hair. As Sasuke thought back on things, replayed all the information he'd gathered in the last few days over in his mind, it started to all make sense. The subtle comments, the way that girl looked at him back in room with Yukio...Orochimaru. He did this to that family.

Years ago, when he was with Orochimaru a deal had been made between Yukio and Sasuke's former master. It promised the Komotaro clan power and wealth if they sided with him in the last attack against Konoha. A family in the lightning country had agreed, as well as an outraged old man in Sand.

Sasuke scowled as he thought of it. He hadn't minded at the time but...these people were all traitors, worthless cowards in his eyes now.

In the end he had chosen his path. Orochimaru lied to him so many times, in so many ways just to get what he wanted and he almost lost his life in his foolish stumble for power.

_But he underestimated me..._

He fed Sasuke powers over the years like a mother feeds her new born breast milk- all the while believing he would benefit by ultimately claiming the Uchiha's body. The sannin was killed by the same ruthless strength that he bestowed upon his murderer.

It was the ultimate betrayal.

Sasuke's will and lust for power got him that far so he left that place in search of his brother. He was wounded, but blinded by violent fury and rage that muted out his mild confusion and suppressed his need to think about what he was planning on doing. In that moment, he wanted Itachi dead so badly it sent an anxious rush through the whole forest. Nothing could be at peace just knowing he was there.

Kabuto fled in terror to Mist and told Yukio the deal was off for the almighty Orochimaru had been murdered by his very own apprentice. This enraged him throughly so he send his best Jounin- the cream of Mists elite- to seek out and destroy Sasuke for his betrayal. This was costing Yukio more than just a stab at the Leaf, it was costing him his honor.

The group of ninja, Nyoko being one of them, caught Sasuke on his search for Itachi only days after he had left the lair. After a long and bloody battle he was left there on Konoha's border to die leaving only three of Mists ninja alive to report back. They retreated, two badly injured, one almost entirely untouched knowing the boys wounds would be fatal.

And then, by fate, Sakura came that same night to bring him back...

The word spread to Mist quickly that Sasuke had returned and was in the one place Yukio and his followers could not go without arousing suspicion from his father or brother. In Konohagakure.

After the punishment the surviving received for failing their mission, a deep hatred was born for the pink haired kunoichi.

She saved him. She disgraced them.

_'That must be why she attacked her. Because of me...for saving me?' _Sasuke backed up from the balcony's railing and slid down on the wall beside the floor. He let the cool air wrap around him and tried to ease his mind.

He was in the process of thinking up a way to fix this when he heard the door slide open. There was a pause before it closed and hesitant footsteps approached. He felt someone sit down beside him and by the sweet scent and gentle sigh he knew it was Sakura.

"Hey...you sure you're alright?" she asked softly, "I mean, you seem a little distracted..."

Sasuke thought about how to answer that for a while but then decided it would probably be in her best interest if she didn't know. Not before the big day tomorrow; even she can get reckless.

"It's nothing. Looks like you're getting most of your strength back. You think you'll be at one hundred percent tomorrow?"

"I have to be." she replied with a smile Sasuke couldn't see but heard in her voice. The two sat there for a while, leaning up against the wall, breathing in the crisp air and staring up at the milky white stars splattered across the sky.

"Sakura," Sasuke said in a tone she had never heard before.

"Mhmm?"

He hesitated. "I'm sorry for hurting you the day I left. I never apologized about it and I don't want to die with stale regrets on my mind." _There I go sounding like a jerk again... _"That's not why I'm apologizing though. You really didn't deserve what I put you through."

Sakura didn't speak right away and he immediately felt doubt. Maybe she would hit him for thinking she wanted to hear a lousy sorry now.

Truth was, she was letting it all sink in. The apology could almost be classed as random or rushed but for some reason, she didn't mind. She felt relieved, satisfied. "Well," she started feeling a lot bolder. Sakura looked away from the stars to see the side of his face. His peach skin seemed pale in the moonlight and his eyes like pools of coal. Confused, angry, scared and...regretful. "The pain of loss...", she murdered looking away for a moment before continuing. "It's a small price to pay for what I feel when I'm with you." Sakura watched in a mix of anxiety and amusement as his faced changed, somehow and he turned to face her looking straight into her eyes. She couldn't handle the intensity of his stare so she shyly looked away but moments later felt Sasuke's hand touch the side of her face and lightly turn it towards him a soft blush playing on her cheeks.

Her eyes fell back on his and she found herself unable to look away again.

Her chest tightened. His breath caught in his throat.

"Thank-you." he whispered, inches from her face. She let the sincerity of his words sink into her soul. Sasuke slightly opened his mouth like he was going to say something but then stopped.

His hand left a tingling trail down her cheek as he dropped it back to his side. He then, wordlessly stood and walked back into the apartment.

Sakura heard the sound out off again as the door closed, leaving her stunned and alone on the balcony.

Did they just almost...

She bit her lip and looked back up to the stars, the soft light reflecting in her eyes.

_'What does the future hold for me?'_

* * *

_End Chapter seven_

* * *

Hey, I noticed the increase in people reading the story so I decided on an update. 

Please review and tell me what you think!

- autumn fortress


	9. Lie

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

**Warning: As violent as someone with my writing skill can make it. Character death in this chapter or the next.**

**Can you HANDLE THAT?! The excitement! Suspense! My god!**

**Chapter title explained at the end**

* * *

**The Hush Of Mist Above Crimson**

_Chapter eight_

LIE

* * *

"Right this way please," 

A pale woman with brown hair, gray eyes and white fingernails led Sasuke Sakura and Naruto down a dimly lit hallway in the morgue. She turned left down another tiled hall, her straight locks swaying silently behind her.

"It truly was a shame what happened to him. He's full of preservatives from the funeral but if you really must see the body we would love to be of service."

Stopping at a thick metal door, she turned the silver handle and walked inside.

"We already got him out for you, use the intercom by the door to call me when you're finished here. The door has to stay locked for security reasons."

"Thank-you," Sakura inclined her head, as did the woman before exciting the room.

Sasuke stood at the foot of the table. The outline of a body was scarcely clear under the pale blue sheet that draped over it.

Naruto stood quietly on the right side of him while Sakura slowly unveiled the body from the head down.

And there he lay. Azamaki Komotaro, a born leader and perfect target. He was handsome, his heavy eyelids sprouting thick lashes and his long brown hair framed his tan but drained face.

"He looks a lot like his brother," Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah," Sakura muttered distractedly. She was looking at something else.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke questioned as he walked up beside her.

Sakura began to peel back the decease's silk black kimono. She noticed how cold his skin was as her finger brushed against his shoulder. A small red oval came into view on the left side of Azamaki's chest. She regarded Sasuke who nodded for her to continue.

The red oval turned into a finger, which proved to be a hand print as the whole top side of his clothes were removed.

Naruto stepped closer. "It looks...like a burn."

"What could have done this? I don't know much about medics but I am aware that a burn of this degree couldn't be lethal, even if it was over your heart. The skin's not even blistered."

"Chakra."

"What?" Sasuke turned to Sakura.

"It was very powerful amount of chakra gathered into the hand. It penetrated the skin directly to the heart at such an intensity the skin was distressed. This technique used to be used for assassinations in this country since the level of chakra you needed to stop the heart was minimal if applied to the right spot with the right force. It..." She looked back to the mark with troubled eyes. "far more force than necessary was used on him if the skin left traces of the attack."

"That's incredible," Naruto said in awe.

"Too incredible."

"Huh?"

"I guess that's not the case if you're the son of one of the most powerful Mizukage's."

There was a pause as the three observed the imprint one last time. Perhaps too small to be the size of a full grown mans...

Sasuke smirked, "In any case, we have some role playing to do."

"Heh, right. This will be fun." Naruto walked to the door as Sakura placed the sheet back over the body after straightening the kimono. Sasuke leaned against the wall lazily waiting for her to do the honors.

"Let's go." She pressed the button on the intercom.

"Yes?" Came a woman's voice from the box.

"We're done in here."

There was a loud buzzing sound and then the door clicked open.

x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru waited for them outside- as much as she had been around death, just the thought of seeing her friend colorless and forever unmoving made her stomach twist painfully. She wanted to remember Azamaki as he was- spirited and alive.

She walked to greet them when they exited the building, giving her thin cloak a light tug in the chilly evening cold. The gray stone walls of the morgue seemed out of place amongst the naked autumn trees, dead leaves of red and gold littering the dry earth around them.

"Alright, before you jump right into this let me tell you a bit about who you will be up against." she started, turning her deep green eyes toward soft lime ones. "Sakura, the night you battled Nyoko unfortunately, you did not witness her full abilities. Watch out for her nails, they can become like claws when she is angered and can change in length at any moment. Anyone from her clan can also produce a deadly poison from the tips of them. "

Tabenomaru's eyes clouded over for a moment as she said this, her long black hair shielding her eyes before she looked up again. "I've seen her murder a young village woman for talking back to her. She threatened her child before running her nail along the side of the girls cheek. That was all it took. And don't even think about breaking them," she warned, "they are like the thickest of armors."

Sasuke, I know you are most likely not worried but I'm telling you- Nikko is stronger than he appears to be. He is an expert in taijutsu and should not be underestimated for when his speed and stealth are combined with the blood-line limit of his clan he becomes the ultimate assassin."

After this, she straightened, stepping back from them as they absorbed her information. Then, she turned her gaze on Naruto and her eyes softened but her voice held its firmness, "Naruto..."

Her stare made him uneasy,

"I do not agree with your decision to fight Doichi alone."

Naruto was a bit put-off by this, but recovered quickly, "So what if he can control fog, so can everyone else in the water country."

Tabenomaru's green eyes flashed before they fell to the ground. "Not like this...he is different than the others. Colder, crueler and most importantly, much more powerful."

The nine-tails roared with excitement inside Naruto and he found himself saying, "Trust me, I will kill Doichi."

Bringing her eyes back up to meet his she came to a conclusion.

There was no stopping this boy.

"Alright," she smiled at him. "I guess I have no choice but to believe in you."

"Heh." The Jounin grinned.

"So you said before that when you were Akina, you were almost always posted behind the Mizukage?"

"That is right Sasuke, and when one of us were sent away on a mission or when new ninja are entering the village Doichi is alerted and sent on a silent guard."

"So now that Akina is gone," Sakura said, "Doichi should be with Yukio, Nikko and Nyoko in the office."

"Yeah, but how will we be able to subdue the three guards without Yukio noticing? We can't just barge in there."

The four pondered Naruto's point until Tabenomaru spoke, "A distraction. We need something big enough to draw more than just the guards at the front doors to the diversion."

Sakura half-smiled, "It's perfect."

"And I have just the thing. Go now to the government building, you have only until sunset."

"Right!"

"Hn."

"Yeah."

"And I wish you three the best of luck." she said.

Naruto waved, "Thanks for all your help Tabe-san."

And with that, they were gone.

The sand nins mouth melted into one thin, determined line and she quickly thought of a good place to start. "I believe the sky is showing sings of a shower," she whispered into the cold air before, she too, was gone from the front doors of the morgue.

x.x.x.x.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura waited against the chill stone walls of the building. They could hear the guards at the door complaining about the drop in their salary after the new rule, what they had for lunch and the upcoming ninja exams."

"What's taking her so long? Do you think that something-" Naruto was cut short by a deafening booming noise in the distance. Then there was another, and another.

"What the fuck was that?" He muttered, clenching his fists to keep from covering his ears as the steady noise continued.

By now the men posted at the door had stopped talking and stared with a mix of curiosity and fear into the distance. The street before the building was empty as a lone leaf blew past them, scraping on the pavement.

The sky began to darken as the thundering quickened. They could see the deep gray clouds expanding overhead. Stretching, fattening with power.

"Rain...clouds?" One of the men said as the weak sun was smothered in pools of darkness.

"No." The other replied slowly before a massive wave of energy was splashed across the whole city. For a second, everything stopped- breathing, the tiny gusts of wind, the trees silenced their whispers and the leaf halted in its trail on the pathway.

They felt it in their core after the noise stopped with one final crash. They felt it all around them-no above them.

A grain of sand fell at Sasuke's feet...followed by three more.

"It's sand!" The guard called, terrified as some landed around him too before the sky broke.

"What the-"

A light rain of gold sand came, as the clouds opened up and released what was inside them. It began to pile up on the ground all around them, like a thin sheet of ice. It brought confusion and chaos, made the roads slippery, made people rush about for cover in the main city.

The three ninjas had already pressed themselves hard against the wall.

"We must be under attack from Suna... Alert Mizukage-sama, I'm going to the source!" One of them said, taking charge immediately.

"Hai!"

One sprinted inside, and the other, disappeared down the street.

"Now is our chance." Sasuke whispered, "Let them come to the very bottom floor before we attack."

Minutes later, the quick footsteps of the guard could be heard from inside, the door smashed open and then he slid in the sand before jumping high into the air and vanishing into the streets. The sand continued to fall, burying the ground beneath it.

They listened through the hushing of the rain for the sound of three footsteps coming down the stairs before stepping inside, shutting the main doors behind them.

Sasuke quickly took care of the two men by the doors and let their unconscious bodies slump in the corner of the main lobby.

"Tabenomaru is pretty amazing, I mean, that rain of sand was awesome. She probably has the whole city thinking they are being invaded." Naruto gushed, cracking his knuckles beside Sasuke.

"Well, she does seem to be Gaara-san's best." Sakura patted the pouch on her waist, then quickly checked the weapons on her thigh. She shifted her weight around absentmindedly."Everyone ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be."

"Let's do this."

The bottom of the staircase was straight ahead of them and in anticipation, they waited.

_Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...tap...tap- _"You again." Nyoko spat, jumping the last four stairs. Nikko and a young man with shoulder length silver hair in a quiet tow. "Are you three responsible for all this commotion?" they watched her steal a glance to the two men slouched over in the corner. Actually, you don't need to answer that because since you're here," She smiled at this, "Why not make things easier for ourselves and just kill you?" Nyoko laughed wickedly through thin red lips, her violet kimono and eyes shining while she advanced.

"That's much easier said then done." Naruto reminded her defiantly.

"Is that so little fox?" A strange voice sounded in the lobby and even Nyoko had to turn back to look at him as he narrowed his black eyes on Naruto. He went down to stand beside Nyoko who reflexively moved out of his way. "I will be sure to make you suffer just for saying that."

"I'd like to see you try." Naruto responded, on the brink of laughter.

Sasuke and Sakura didn't move. This was all part of it, analyze them. Note how

Doichi's arms uncrossed, the way Nikko's jaw tightens when he looks at him and how his sister immediately silences, settling to shooting daggers at Sakura with the intensity of her eyes.

"I wouldn't make him angry." Nikko's warning seemed pointless with his indifferent tone.

"Why is that?" Sasuke pushed.

"Well if you're really that interested in why you shouldn't play these little games with us, we can show you firsthand!" On the last word, he raised a finger elegantly towards Sasuke his nail growing long and sharp so quickly it smashed into the door behind him. Splinters of wood fell to the floor when just as fast, it was gone.

Nikko flicked his wrist.

Sasuke stood there, a smirk playing on his white lips on as blood dripped down his cheek. So he's quick to become violent.

Sakura immediately felt panic. _The poison..._"Sasuke!" she called. Immediately she jumped back, narrowly avoiding the shuriken aimed at her head. While she skid to a stop she kept her eyes fixed on Nyoko walking towards her. Sakura glared furiously when she chuckled, flexing her long thin fingers. "Let me finish what I started."

x.x.x.x.

Doichi raised his arm, palm out, in Naruto's direction. The corner of his mouth turned upwards.

Naruto tore his eyes from Sakura just in time to be blasted through the door by a massive spray of water. It soaked and froze him in the outside weather as he coughed on the wet sand, standing.

_'He's high level...using a water jutsu with no water around.'_

Doichi was no where in sight.

"This will be fun." Came a chilling voice beside Naruto's ear. He turned around and hopped backwards with a slightly arched back right before a kunai slashed in the empty space he had created. It came again at him seconds after his toes touched the ground so he jumped to his left, watching as Doichi's sliver hair swung in front of him. His black eyes widening on Naruto as his head turned to see he had missed again.

"You're quite good at running away." Doichi taunted after Naruto had back flipped, coming up meters away from him.

Naruto pulled three shuriken from his pouch running back towards him, "Haaaaaa!" he yelled throwing them angrily as his opponent became a blur of sliver, white and black, as he drove him towards the empty streets in a spar.

- - -

Inside, Sasuke and Sakura had their hands quite full.

"Hosenka no jutsu!" Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed on Nikko as fire flew mercilessly from his mouth.

Nikko dodged each one expertly, wasting no movements by advancng forward instead of away from his target.

He made a move to punch at his stomach, putting all his weight into it, when the fireballs had stopped but Sasuke was much clever than that and saw it coming. He stepped to the side letting Nikko skid to catch himself before he kicked him dead-on in the back, sending him flying towards the banister.

Nikko twisted, becoming a flash of red as he managed to land on his toes. He wiped away the blood from the side of his mouth and quickly created a number of buushins, but Sasuke was already one step ahead of him.

He jumped over the replicas to land for a brief moment behind all of them on the railing. In seconds he had weapons shooting towards him in a wall of metal. He deflected them with his kunai, the black silk tied to the end whiling around violently as he kept pressing forward even when a throwing star slipped through his eye sight and made a slit in his sweat pants.

"What?" Nikko whispered as Sasuke's sharinghan eyes bore into his own. He descended from the air over him as the last of his own replicas finished Nikko's, having each one disappeared in a soft _poof_.

Feeling uncomfortably threatened he directed the blades on his hands upwards, as to pierce Sasuke's chest. _He can't go against gravity. Its finished._

Sasuke spread his arms out and twisted rapidly in mid-air to land on all fours not far from him. Outraged Nikko stretched his hands.

Right after landing Sasuke felt the air shift so he moved his head to the left, than right, then jumped his whole body back to avoid being impaled by Nikko's attacks. So what if he was good at Taijutsu? Sasuke could see through nearly everything with a little bit of effort.

The two of them stood there, panting for a couple of seconds. Sasuke's vision went out of focus, then back again as he felt the poison spread in his body. It was only two minutes into the fight and Sasuke realized that he was wasting time. Those three Jounin were not their mission, just obstacles that needed to be removed as quickly as possible. It was time to kick it up a notch.

Nikko's eyes darkened into pools of deep burgundy. This boy was causing more trouble than he was worth and Yukio would not be pleased with this nuisance taking so much of his energy.

And with a determined intent to kill, they came at each other once again.

- - -

On the other side of the lobby Sakura was trying to successfully land a hit on her opponent. She seemed to be just as nimble as her brother but for what Sakura lacked in speed, she more than made up for in strength.

"What you saw before was nothing," she cautioned as she punched into the ground where Nyoko once stood, leaving a large crater in the dull and dirty tile. "I'm not scared of you anymore."

"Hmph," violet eyes flared, her words coming out in a rush, "for your own good, you should be."

The chunnin summoned all of her concentration on the deep red nails that shot out towards her at a ridiculous speed. There were four, there was only one direction to go.

_And don't even think about breaking them, they are like the thickest of armors_

Moments before striking her, Sakura's feet left the ground, letting the nails dig deep into the floor . Landing on one of the thin blades, she sprinted towards Nyoko who was attempting in vain to pull herself free but in her rage she had used too much force. Like the hand print- that's what almost always led to someones finish. Letting yourself go a little bit too far...

Sakura's super strength was a direct hit.

"No..." she whispered before being flown backwards immediately unconscious and smashed through the wall of the government building. The washed out sun could be seen between the last tiny grains of rock that fell from the clearing sky as it filtered through Nyoko's wake- it was almost time.

Nikko and Sasuke both stopped at all the commotion from the right side of the lobby just in time to witness the crumbling hole in the wall and hear the light tapping of Sakura's shoes as she ran towards the gash. She took a kunai from her pouch and hurriedly bolted after her to finish the job.

"Sister!" Nikko screamed, turning from Sasuke and dashing after them.

"Huh-stop!"

He barely made it to the other side of the building before getting cut off by Sasuke's threatening eyes and weapon hurling towards him.

Nikko avoided the threat by bending into a bridge and jumping back up by his hands. He grunted as he scrambled to regain his composure before Sasuke coldly reminded him why he was here,

"Your fight is with me."

- - -

Doichi and Naruto's movements were so incredibly fast that anyone trying to watch them would have been lost immediately.

Now, beads of sweat trickled down Naruto's neck as he crouched in the sand, seemingly alone, on the front walkway. The odd rain had stopped but it remained gray and weak with light as sunset approached.

He dug his feet in to find stability, quickly glancing through the hole in the door for Sasuke or Sakura. Neither were in view. The only way he knew they were still alive were Sasuke's angry yells and blasts of fire coming from inside. But where was Sakura?

Before he had much longer to ponder that, something caught his eye and snapped him back into his own battle. There was a fog thickening all around him. Did this man think he was stupid?

Naruto tried not to smile cockily at the thought of his opponent trying to conceal himself and attack from within the mist. He delt with this stuff back when he was genin!

Naruto felt obliged to share this with Doichi when- He stopped.

He couldn't breath.

Naruto's skin was tingling with the murderous intent surrounding him. But with what?

All he saw around him was fog.

Fog.

A sick realization struck him. Doichi was not controlling this fog, he became it. Chocking him and chuckling quietly as he mingled with the air Naruto wished he was breathing.

He couldn't hold up for much longer of this and Doichi knew this quite well,

"Good luck getting out of this one little fox." came a cool voice from all around him, "No one has been able to escape this technique. Your overall strength weakens by the second with no oxygen coming into your lungs."

Naruto cringed in spite of himself. It was true, he couldn't think straight with this suffocation and was soon becoming desperate as his eye sight went fuzzy and his heart beat loudly in his chest.

This was not going the way he had planned.

- - -

Sasuke dragged Nikko's limp body across the floor and through the hole on the side of the building to lay it with his sisters. This act alone, was enough to exhausted him completely and he collapsed to the sand, tired of fighting the chill that coursed through his veins.

Sakura was at his side in an instant. Judging by his size and how long he held his stamina for she hastily thought out the amount of poison he could have gotten from the wound, she pulled out a fitting antidote and hoped for the best. He stirred in a matter of minutes after she fed it to him. As Sasuke stood, she noted that he wouldn't be at one-hundred percent yet, but it would have to do.

She brought her hand down to touch Sasuke's forehead and he flinched, but then felt the strange sensation of chakra on his skin.

The cut was gone.

"Gah-"

Naruto chocked out the last bit of what remained in his lungs. His teammates' heads turned in unison towards the noise, and without thinking, hurried off towards the front walk.

Naruto fell to his knees, and with his last bit of strength thought through his panic. If this didn't work, nothing else would. His hands formed numerous seals...

_Just die! It's too late..._

The voice only fueled his need to overpower him. The last sign formed and the leaves danced as a massive gust of wind came from behind Naruto, viciously blowing all fog away from him

Naruto remained on his knees, gasping- not hearing or seeing anything else but just breathing in the air like it were life itself as everyone fumbled for their footing around him.

Sasuke and Sakura tried to block out the wind with their arms as the force of it nearly knocked them over. They ducked back behind the corner if the building.

_'What strong chakra...and it's intent isn't of the nine-tails.' _Sasuke thought as his hair whipped around his face,_ 'Kakashi was right when he said that wind techniques were his thing. He controls it with such ease...'_

Naruto stood once again, Doichi before him. He was noticeably trying to contain his irritation.

Ignoring this, Naruto exhaled slowly, beginning to form other seals:

_**boar,tiger,lion,snake,rabbit,snake,sheep...**_

His words floated like whispers into their ears.

Sakura's eyes grew wide "Sasuke, let's go!" She yelled, grabbing onto him by the arm and darting around the corner. She ducked them behind Naruto and shoved them both back into the building.

Doichi tried to ignore the little exchange but couldn't help but feel the slightest bit uneasy at the abnormal amount of energy emanating from this man. It was slowly building, becoming nearly touchable around them when he heard the whisper,

"You'll regret what you just did to me," Naruto promised.

_**Bird.**_

"Heh," he spread his hands out at his sides, "Wind element: Black dragon technique."

There was a stir in the air around them. The sky roared and two gray dragons with deep red eyes came from Naruto's palms to soar up into the air, twisting, dancing with each other before pummeling down towards Doichi. Their red eyes locked on his, their mouths wide open, exposing jagged teeth. The trees shuddered all around them and the sky immediately darkened.

"Hah! You expect to kill me with this?" Doichi yelled over the howling winds and his foot skid back in the sand. "Water element: Dragon of the Mist." He boomed and a beast of water swirled up from behind him towards the two monsters of wind. "Just one should be enough," he smirked.

His confidence drained when the two dark beasts shot straight through his own creating a wide spray of water as it was twisted apart. It cried out in rage as it was ripped to pieces, falling over them all like rain.

The sand hardened into mud and splattered the walls of the building when Naruto's allies transformed into a commodious tornado, picking up Doichi and throwing him violently up and around in the air.

"Release." Naruto muttered, slamming his hands down and feeling the wet sand stick between his fingers.

The dragons disappeared and now, all that remained in the now clear sky was Doichi's falling form, getting larger and larger as it approached the ground.

Unfortunately for him, the sand was dripping and hard from his mangled water dragon. There was nothing to soften the ground for his fall.

_Shhff_

Naruto bounded up, meters high, to wrap himself around the enemy, making sure the Jounin was head down and unable to move. After coming in contact with the ground, Naruto quickly spun off of him.

Doichi's legs stiffened, protruding from the sand, then went limp as the soul left his body to be swalloed by the evil it welcomed there.

Finally, the first part of their mission was over.

Naruto breathed out his frustrations before running inside to join the others. Sakura and Sasuke were already on the stairs.

"Nice work everyone." He said, standing in the space between them.

"Are you alright Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"More or less Sakura-chan," he smiled.

"Good, then lets get to it. We only have about twenty minutes until dusk. This will all be in vain if we don't get what we came for," Sasuke reminded them.

"Right."

"TRANSFORM."

.x.x.x.x.

**(( This chapter is called "LIE" referring to that very last part when they transform to deceive the Mizukage. In a sense, it's a terrible lie. To me, this seemed a key point in the chapter since that's why they're are fighting there in the first place so I named it lie. Make any sense? Haha**

**Autumn fortress: Thanks for reading this chapter. It was a lot of work and I tried my hardest on it. Fight scenes are difficult to write for me, ahah. Well, please review, perhaps I will update this again.))**


	10. FINAL CHAPTER

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

**Warning:Last chapter! **

**Is that a warning?**

* * *

**The Hush Of Mist Above Crimson**

_Final chapter_

* * *

Nyoko, Nikko and Doichi walked into the Mizukage's office to report back to their master. Yukio stood from his chair upon their arrival. 

"What's going on? Neither of the door guards have returned and I heard quite the commotion coming from downstairs," he inquired.

There were no windows in this room and it was quite odd why since this was the highest floor and was sure to have the most spectacular view of the city. Two lamps, standing tall on each side of the grand oak desk, lit the center of the room while all the walls were hidden, black with the surrounding darkness.

The Kage's had agreed to give the three until sundown to get proof of Yukio's plans. How would they know when their time was up with no glimpse of the outdoors?

More importantly, how could they obtain the information they needed without giving themselves away?

"It was the three from the Leaf again. It seems the girl had survived." Nikko said easily.

"Hmm." Yukio sat back down. "that explains Akina not returning. She must have been killed. You were right Nyoko, we did have a rat among us."

Nyoko smirked, flicking her purple hair back with a, "Heh."

"What of the rain then? Are we not under attack from Suna?"

"Iie, Mizukage-sama," Doichi rumbled, "the one impersonating Akina was from Sand. It appears that they were working with the brats."

"I see..." he said, straightening his large hat, "and I trust you took care of the ninja? There was quite the ruckus downstairs. Wind and water- who would have thought anyone could push you that far."

"They were tougher to deal with than we expected." Nyoko added reluctantly, standing along with Doichi and her brother.

"Well now that it's over with we have some damage control to take care of. Killing everyone who catches us seems to just not do the trick anymore. Too many we eliminate have friends." Yukio chuckled. It was not a pretty sound.

"May I ask you something my lord?" Naruto went for it as they took their places behind him as they had seen the real Jounin do.

"Go ahead Doichi."

"Did you enjoy killing your brother?"

They watched Yukio's back as it stiffened.

_This again, _"How many times must I tell you people? Of course I enjoyed it. But only for a brief moment. I guess it was just too easy since he made no effort to stop me. Less satisfying than I thought it would be. Actually," he paused, not noticing the looks on the twins' faces.

They had him.

"I think I would enjoy killing you three more."

Fear shot through Sakura as she backed up away from the desk alongside Sasuke and Naruto. It spread through her gut to her chest in a cool wave.

Yukio turned his head around slowly, "You killed my best ninja...sadly, you won't be getting past me." He sighed, pushing his chair back and stood.

They felt themselves shrink before him, the sound of wood scraping the floor seeming all too loud in the room.

This was no ordinary ninja.

This was one of the five shadow. The water shadow at that, perhaps the strongest.

They had no chance of defeating this one.

Naruto and Sakura followed suite when Sasuke took down his disguise. Maybe, just maybe they would come. Was it sunset yet?

"Tell me..." Sakura's trembling voice bounced off the dark walls, "why did you do it? How could you kill your own brother?"

_'Good,' _Sasuke thought, knowing all too well how easy it was to kill family, _'she's buying us time.'_

"Well since you're about to die, I'll just humor you." Yukio's gaze was light, almost giddy giving Naruto great unease. Maybe they _would_ die here.

"For power of course. I don't know why that idiot was the Mizukage anyways. He was weak. I'm older than him-_I _was next in line. But my father..." he scoffed, "he didn't think I was _ready. _All I did after the fool died was prove that I am strong enough to rule this country. I amone of the ultimate commanders of tens of thousands of shinobi throughout the world. Did you really believe you could catch me for murder?"

The amusement in his voice was disgusting.

Naruto's throat was dry and his palms felt clammy as the water shadow stepped closer. They mirrored his movements with a step back towards the darkened corner.

Sakura was trying to look strong, but was failing fast as she felt the strong chakra forming on his fingertips. Even Sasuke was losing hope, cursing quietly, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"It was foolish of you to come here." Yukio raised his hand and delighted in the terrified gasp and two grunts of the three before him, "Now die."

"Do not move Yukio. You are surrounded,"

came a familiar voice from the shadows. Tsunade stepped out from the blackness of the corner behind them, then the Earth shadow, Wind shadow and Lightening shadow came from the other three corners of the room.

"we have heard quite enough."

* * *

"Nice work you three." Tsunade said earnestly as she watched two shadow carry Yukio from the courtroom. 

His trial had seemed terribly pathetic.

Trying to lessen his sentencing he had told them everything- about starting with waterfall, then grass and then working his way towards the major cities until he eventually owned them all. It was bad enough he admitted to conspiring with Orochimaru but he also plead guilty to Azamaki's murder and made no attempt to escape after becoming surrounded back in his old office.

Fighting off one Kage would be a challenge but attempting to evade four of them was an impossible feat, even for a member of the Komotaro clan.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura respectfully bowed their heads at her compliment before Tsunade followed after the traitor. Perhaps in Konoha pity would have led the council of elders to rule in his favor but in the village hidden in the Mist, the penalty for such crimes was death.

Tabenomaru hurried up after Gaara, briefly smiling their way.

"Well I have to admit, working together again was pretty fun." Naruto shared as they turned the bustling street corner after stepping into the morning sun.

"Agreed." Sasuke added, mildly surprising the two.

"Same here," Sakura reflected,"even though we almost died."

"Almost," Naruto repeated.

"Yeah..."

They stopped when they arrived at the small sake house Kakashi wanted to meet them at. Sure enough he was standing outside waiting for them.

"Glad to see everyone is all right."His lazy eye closed and the creases in his mask showed signs of a grin. "Before we head home is there any chance I could borrow Naruto for a moment?"

"Go right ahead," Sakura offered.

"Thanks, we'll only be a couple of minutes."

"What's this about Kakashi-san?"were the last thing Sakura and Sasuke heard before they disappeared inside.

It was quiet for a moment until Sasuke turned to face her. "Sakura, look...I-"

"Don't," she cut him off.

He looked at her, confused by her coldness.

"I'm tired of talking,"she said, grabbing his hand and puling him close to her in a disorienting kiss. His other hand found its way to her back while she greedily ran her fingers through the silk of his hair. They ignored the stares coming from the people passing by, completely lost in the moment, the passion, each other.

When they broke apart, panting lightly, they stayed close. Sasuke resting his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes, taking in her scent.

Maybe she would regret that?

His doubts vanished when she wrapped her fingers tighter around his hand and pulled away to look into his face. She saw something confused, scared and bitter just like before. But something else played in the coal of his eyes this morning. Something she knew was just for her.

They stepped away from each other, it finally sinking in what they had just done, in a very public place after the rowdy howl of a young citizen walking past. Sasuke laughed lightly at her blush. She smiled as the beautiful sound washed over her. It's been so long since she's heard him laugh...

"Isn't that rich." Naruto commented, leaning up against the doorway, Kakashi behind him.

They whipped around to face him.

"Hey! It's not-"

"How long have you both-?"

"Ahehehehe!" They both shook their heads at their reactions. Kakashi picked up his pack, "Let's just go home."

* * *

"I spy with my sharingan eye, something that is blue?" 

"Everything is blue Kakashi-san, we're on a boat in the ocean." Sakura reminded him.

"Can't you guys play another game? I don't know if I can handle another twenty minutes of 'I spy'."

Naruto smiled at his teammates and looked out over their small wooden boat. The sun shone brightly on the clear water and the wind tousled his spiky blond hair.

When they returned to Konoha everything would go back to normal-Sakura to her medical training, Sasuke out on S-class missions, Kakashi doing his thing with Kurenia and Asuma and maybe Naruto would take up that offer for a spot on the ANBU like he had suggested earlier.

He missed this.

The laughing, the fighting, the innocent messing around.

_'But I guess everyone has to grow up sometime...'_

He watched as Kakashi pulled the latest volume of _Icha Icha paradise_ from his pack.

Naruto looked away with an odd expression,

_'Maybe that's not so true.'_

* * *

THE END

* * *

Did you like my story? Thanks for reading it anyway!


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